The Benefits and Satisfaction of Participating in Campus Recreational Sports Facilities and Programs among Male and Female African American Students: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to assess the benefits and satisfaction of participating in campus recreational sports facilities and programs among male and female African American students. A convenience sample of students from classes in the Department of Health and Human Performance at a small southeastern private historically black college and university was used in the study. The instrument consisted of a modified version of the National Intramural-Recreational Sport Association's Quality and Importance of Recreational Services Survey. Independent samples t test and analysis of variance were used to test for differences between gender and the benefit of participation questions (α = .05). It was determined that 80% benefitted with communication skills, 79% benefitted with a sense of belonging/association, and 76% benefitted with leadership skills. In terms of gender, 79% of the males benefitted from self-confidence, 90% benefitted with a feeling of physical well being, 78% benefitted with a sense of accomplishment, and 81% benefitted with respect for others. Eighty-five percent were satisfied with their overall academic experience and 73% with satisfied with their overall experiences with other student services programs and activities. Males scored higher than females when it came to reporting the following benefits from participating in recreational activities: feeling of physical well-being, sports skills, fitness, physical strength, stress reduction, and balance/coordination. Although limitations to the study exist, the results provide further evidence that students report that participating in campus recreational sports has an impact on their benefits and their satisfaction with their academic experience and their experiences with students' services programs and other activities. This is a finding that can only serve to increase the practitioner's understanding of those who use such facilities and programs. More studies are needed to further examine the benefits of campus recreational facilities and programs on African American students.