International student-athletes’ perceptions of the long-term impact of the NCAA experience

ABSTRACT Research exploring international student-athletes’ (ISA’s) perceptions of their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) experience has been limited to studies conducted prior to, during, or immediately following their college careers. Notably lacking has been research conducted with ISA’s who have been removed from college sport for a significant time period. Twenty-three former NCAA Division I athletes representing 16 countries and eight sports participated in semi-structured interviews 30–60 minutes in duration to address this gap in the literature. Each participant had been removed from college sport for a minimum of five years to allow sufficient time to assess the long-term impact of college sport on their lives. Three primary themes emerged from the analysis of data: (1) thinking globally, (2) development and application of life skills, and (3) preparation for sport careers over non-sport careers. Implications of each theme are discussed and recommendations are offered for prospective ISA’s and American post-secondary institutions.