88 Student Athletes

There were 235 former student athletes invited, but only 88 returned their invite and attended the game. The former athletes that attended the game and participated in the survey were from all sports at U of L. On the survey there was a section for which sport each athlete played. In attendance there were 22 basketball, 8 hockey, 11 baseball, 28 football, 7 tennis, and 12 soccer players. Out of the 88 student athletes I was only able to use 24 for my sample. 24 out the 88 student athletes had played in the professional league. My 24 qualified participants were both males and females, some were retired, still playing, or let go from the league.
Hypothesis/Research question(s)
What extent does college education affect professional athletes who are not successful in the league?
Instrument
In my study I used a questionnaire created by me. I tested the validity of my questionnaire by answering these questions…
Is the questionnaire measuring what it intended to measure?
Does it represent the content?
Is it appropriate for the sample/population?
Is the questionnaire comprehensive enough
to collect all the information needed to address the purpose and goals of the study?
Does the instrument look like a questionnaire?
Reliability is established using a pilot test by collecting data from 20-30 subjects not included in the sample. I used employees in the athletic center to test the questionnaire. The data collected from pilot test was analyzed using a software. A reliability coefficient (alpha) of .70 or higher was considered acceptable reliability.
Data Collection On June 13,2014, two months before the event, participants were sent invitations to the August13th spring football game.
All participants were asked to reply with an RSVP by July 13th for a head count for food. After it was determined the expected count I then weighed my options on the best way to collect data from my sample size. I was looking for a research design that would be quick, cost effective, and involved my participants opinions. I decided on a questionnaire. I then determined if my questionnaire needed a institutional review. My questionnaire fell into the exempt category because the data collection was being held on a educational campus using former athletes. Although it is publicly known that these former athletes are or were former professional athletes their identity was not revealed or name requested for the questionnaire; making the questionnaire exempt
worthy. The day of the event athletes were asked to complete the short questionnaire. Results were placed in a box. Once all questionnaires were received answers were enter on a computer were it totaled the average of the answers. I then reviewed the answers and compared the variables by active professional athletes, sport played, and who held college degrees. Then I determined the bivariate correlation by the relationship to the variables. It was determined current professional athletes felt there was no need for a college degree while the correlation between retired athletes and unsuccessful professional athletes felt a degree should be obtained before professional league.
Data Analysis My research is based on qualitative research. The data gathered was to prove or disprove whether a college degree should be obtained before going into the professional league. The best way to answer this question was to get the opinions of participants. My goal was to understand the participants who had been to the professional league. My focus was on what participants said and wished they had done differently. The codes were determined by the variables mentioned in the data collection.
Summary
My survey research conducted in a questionnaire format on previous student athletes determined that 3/4 of my participants wished they had completed their education before the professional league while the other 1/4 were current professional athletes and did not see the need for a degree at the moment, but would encourage their future children to go to college.