Academic, Athletic, and Social Influences of a Winter Tutorial on Elite Athletes
Graduation Date
Spring 2000
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program Name
Education
Program Director
Grace Grant, EdD
Abstract
Student athletes, competitive alpine skiers, left their traditional middle and high schools to participate in a five-month winter tutorial for the purpose of combining intense ski training and coaching with academics in an emerging Academy. Student athletes must give equal weight to both academics and athletics to be successful in later life. The three variables examined in the study were: grades, race results, and social adjustment. The results showed that all students maintained or improved their grades. Race Results did not improve for all of the student athletes, but 4 of the 9 racers achieved standings in the top 15 in their age group in all races. The social adjustment for the student athletes was both positive and negative. The need for a highly academic sports centered Academy exists in all areas of sports, not only alpine skiing. The Academy model presented here could be reproduced for all sports where the need for intense training and coaching increases as the athletes get older.