Coming in first, finishing last: African American male perceptions of relationships with coaches and teachers and their impact on academic and athletic performance

The student-athlete is arguably the most recognized and rewarded student within high schools nationwide. Across the country, millions of athletes spend countless hours developing their athletic prowess in pursuit of athletic excellence and recognition at the local, state, national, and international levels. Within this population, African American males make up a significant portion. Research has provided evidence showing the benefits of athletic participation on numerous variables. However, research on the effects of athletic participation on African American males in relation to school achievement has provided conflicting results. Much of the research reveals little or no statistical significance in the differences in academic achievement of these athletes and their peers who do not participate in athletics. The coach—athlete dyad has been researched extensively, and much of the research has revealed that this dynamic relationship has not only helped to enhance athletic performance, but has a positive impact on other important social and developmental variables. This research project not only looked at the impact of sports participation on African American males with regard to grade point average (GPA), frequency of absences and tardiness, enrollment in advanced courses, but also at how male African American athletes believed that athletic participation, including their interpersonal relationship with coaches and teachers, influenced athletic performance, academic achievement, self-esteem, and/or identity. Coaching and teaching share some similarities, and the positive coaching athlete relationship has been attributed to a student's increase in trust, commitment, and closeness, and thus can be utilized in the classroom to increase achievement. Using an equivalent time-samples quasi-experimental design (Campbell & Stanley, 1963) with repeated measures analysis, the data showed that athletic participation regardless of race had no impact on GPA. This researched also revealed, when teachers display the characteristics of effective coaches in the classroom, students experience higher levels of closeness, are more engaged, and have increased levels of motivation. The coach brings a powerful paradigm that can support the teaching practices in the classroom. If teachers can duplicate the principles of effective coaching and transfer those strategies outlined in this body of work, more student-athletes would experience success in the classroom.