Master's Theses

Department

Health and Human Performance

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether or not participation in football, basketball and track at Fort Hays Kansas State College had any desirable or undesirable effect on the academic success of those men recommended for varsity letters. The investigator was also interested in determining whether or not there was a significant difference in the academic achievement of those participating in each of the three different sports. Those full-time male students who were members of the football, basketball, and track squads, respectively, were matched with stratified random samples of full-time non-athlete students having similar qualifications. The qualifications included the following: (1) academic classification, (2) year of attendance, (3) academic aptitude, and (4) major field of study for those classified as juniors and seniors. Prior to the analysis of data, the five per cent level of significance was established for the rejection of the null hypothesis. The t-test was employed to determine whether or not a significant difference in academic achievement existed between the following: (1) football players and a similar non-athlete group, (2) basketball players and a similar non-athlete group, (3) track men and a similar non-athlete group, and (4) football men during the first semester, while competing, and the second semester when there was no participation. The analysis of variance technique was used to determine if a significant difference existed between the academic achievement of football players, basketball players, and track men. When a significant F value was yielded, t-tests were used to determine which of the athletic groups were significantly different. Within the limitations of this study, the following conclusions seem warranted: 1. There was no significant difference between the academic achievement of football players, basketball players, track men, and stratified random samples of male non-athletes attending Fort Hays Kansas State College. 2. Football players attained a significantly lower level of academic achievement for the first semester, while participating in football, than for the second semester when there was no participation. 3. The members of the basketball and track squads attained a significantly higher level of academic achievement than the members of the football squad. However, there was no significant difference between the academic achievement of the members of the basketball and track squads.

Keywords

Athletics, Physical education, Football, Basketball, Sports, Track, Men, Testing, Fort Hays State University

Advisor

Dr. James J. Belisle

Date of Award

Summer 1964

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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