Lived Experiences: How Is It Like To Be A Student-Athlete of A Premier State University?

Abstract

This study is on the lived experiences of student-athletes under a Sports Scholarship Program in a National University in a third -world country.  Data was conducted  through  narrative interviews of six (6) female student-athletes. Results show that student-athletes  perceived their lives as stressful, yet their involvement in sports satisfied the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The meaning they attribute to sport involvement  enables them to endure difficult situations however,  they are at risk for psychological problems with their use of  a short-term and reactive coping style. Furthermore, results show that central to their identity is being an athlete. Factors that challenge this identity are present in their environment and are part of the stress that they continuously face.