Preview
Faculty Mentor
Katherine Polasek
Creation Date
5-2025
Description
As athletes continue to strive for excellence and perfection, the pressure and intensity of sports have increased. The high levels of stress and demanding training regimens leave some athletes feeling discouraged or emotionally exhausted. Raedeke and Smith (2001) define burnout as “a psychological, emotional, and at times physical withdrawal from a formerly pursued and enjoyable activity due to chronic stress or dissatisfaction” (p. 282). The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceived burnout levels from two Division III sports teams with longer sport seasons. Thirty-four varsity athletes completed the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and a brief demographic questionnaire during preseason and postseason. Participants included members of the women’s gymnastics (n=17) and men’s swimming and diving team (n=17). Preseason findings illustrate that female gymnasts have a higher average of emotional/physical exhaustion and reduced sense of accomplishment compared to male swimmers and divers, who have a slightly higher average for sport devaluation. From preseason to postseason, the total population had a significant average increase in reduced sense of accomplishment, while having slight reductions in both emotional/physical exhaustion and sport devaluation. Average results for both teams were consistent from preseason to postseason. Secondary findings confirmed original results with gymnastics leading in emotional/physical exhaustion and reduced sense of accomplishment averages, with a lower average for sport devaluation than the men’s swimmers and divers.
Keywords
student athletes, NCAA Division III, stress, Kinesiology