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308.Dual Career for Students-athletes: How to combine studies and sport from the school to the university

Conceptual Framework: One of the most important topics in the current educational research refers to the Dual Career, understood as the optimal compatibility between academic studies and high sport performance.

Objectives: Understand student athlete transitions from the school age to go to the university, especially those that refer to the academic / vocational level and sport (Wylleman y Lavalle, 2004).

Methods: Sample of 30 university students in sports science (9 girls and 21 boys with a mean age of 21 years), high-level athletes (8 of them with state recognition). Questionnaire on Dual Career for high dedication Student-Athletes and Dancers, designed ad hoc to apply to high-level athletes and dancers, population groups with legal measures, with music students.

Results: 10 student athletes (35%) have repeated a year, especially the years before college (high school). In addition 8 have left school at some point in their development (28.6%). As other studies have already shown (Solà, 2010), the average of grades decreases with age and cannot devote more time to the supplementary school training (only 24% make an average of 3 hours a week of English).

Conclusions: Although there are academic and sporting regulations to aid students athletes, they are still insufficient to ensure a perfect Dual Career.


References:

Solà, J. (2010) Academic Rigor and Dedication to Competitive Sport in Young People 12-18 Years: Major Social Issues. Physical Culture and Sports Studies and Research, Vol. L, 100-109.

Wylleman, P.y Lavallee, D. (2004). A developmental perspective on transitions faced by athletes. A M. Weiss (Ed.), Developmental sport and exercice psychology: A lifespan perspective (507-527). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

Author(s):

Josep Solà Santesmases    
Health, Physical Activity and Sport, Blanquerna-URL Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences
Spain

Susana Pérez Testor    
Health, Physical Activity and Sport, Blanquerna-URL Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences
Spain