Role Conflict of Chinese Student-Athletes: Distinct Challenges They Face and Implications for Collegiate Sport Administrators

Abstract

The number of Chinese student-athletes (CSAs) at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. However, little is known about the distinct challenges CSAs face as they adopt the role of student and athlete, and the potential for role conflict to occur. This study explored the ways in which CSAs experienced role conflict and how they managed this conflict. Ten interviews were conducted with current or former CSAs at NCAA Division I schools. Findings revealed that CSAs experienced role conflict due to contrasting expectations from different stakeholders, the lack of academic preparedness, and unfamiliarity with the collegiate sport system. Meanwhile, CSAs managed their role conflict by realigning role expectations and shifting role identity. The findings demonstrate how role conflict can be applied to a cross-cultural context, while informing collegiate sport administrators of efforts to manage CSAs transition into the NCAA system.

Keywords:

• Chinese student-athletes
• collegiate sport
• role conflict
• role identity
• NCAA

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest has to be reported.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jules Woolf

Jules Woolf (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin), Assistant Professor, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Jules Woolf’s research interests focus on the nexus between sport and health and the ways in which sport is managed to promote positive and avoid negative health outcomes.

Guangzhou Chen

Guangzhou Chen (M.S., Utrecht University), Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Guangzhou Chen’s research interests include international student-athletes’ experience and social impacts of community sport events.

Matt Haugen

Matt Haugen (Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Adjunct Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Matt Haugen’s research interest is sport development in China.

Jon Welty Peachey

Jon Welty Peachey (Ph.D., University of Connecticut), Associate Professor, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Jon Welty Peachey’s research centers upon sport-for-development and social change, particularly examining inclusive leadership strategies, program design modalities, and program impact.