Parent involvement is a vital aspect of NCAA student-athlete’s participation in intercollegiate athletics. The majority of key NCAA stakeholders speak to the importance of parental support and engagement throughout student-athletes’ careers. However, most also express concern that negative parental involvement is increasing in intercollegiate athletics, and importantly that it has the potential to inhibit student-athletes’ positive development and experiences on and off the field.
Our research with parents, coaches, administrators, and student-athletes across NCAA Divisions underscores four key domains of parent involvement:
Parent Support
How often parents provide their student-athletes emotional, practical, and financial assistance
Parent Contact
How often parents communicate with their student-athletes using texting, social media, and other types of contact
Academic Engagement
The level of involvement parents have in their student-athletes’ educational pursuits and decisions
Athletic Engagement
The level of involvement parents have in their student-athletes’ sport careers and decisions
Study Partners
