Athletes' Perceptions of the Motivational Climate on Their Teams in Relation to Career Exploration and Athletic Identity

Abstract

The core mission of the National Collegiate Association of Athletes (NCAA) is to develop individuals as both students and athletes in preparation for life after their collegiate endeavors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between collegiate athletes' perceptions of the climate on their sport teams to their career exploration and engagement, and their athletic identity. Student-athletes (N= 101) in both revenue and nonrevenue sport from various NCAA Division I institutions were administered online surveys assessing their perceptions of the climate on their sport teams, their athletic identity, career exploration, and career engagement. Canonical correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationship between the climate variables (i.e. caring, task, and ego) to athletic identity (AIMS), career self-efficacy (CDSES), and career exploration/engagement (EXPENG). Loadings revealed that perceptions of a high task-involving climate and moderate caring climate were positively associated with athletes' reporting higher athletic identity, career self-efficacy, and career exploration/engagement. Perceptions of an ego-involving climate did not contribute to the canonical relationship, although the variable was negatively associated with career self-efficacy. Results suggest that Division I coaches may want to consider fostering a caring and task-involving team climate for Division I athletes to help them develop as holistic individuals who spend their college years performing at a high level of sport and also preparing for their lives after sport.