Motivations of international student-athletes to participate in intercollegiate athletics

The purposes of this study were to (a) explore motives of international student-athletes who come to the United States to participate in intercollegiate athletics, and (b) examine differences in motives of international student-athletes based on selected socio-demographic attributes (e.g., gender, types of scholarship received, types of sports participation and region of the world). An exploratory factor analysis revealed four motivation factors: intercollegiate athletics attractiveness, school attractiveness, desire for independency, and environmental attractiveness. Data analysis indicated differences in motivation factors based on types of sports participation and region of the world. The study will help coaches and athletic administrators understand international student-athletes' motivational factors, which play a critical role in recruiting these international student-athletes. Knowing why an international student-athlete wants to participate in intercollegiate athletics in the United States will aid coaches in developing specific recruiting plans to attract these athletes. This information will also assist coaches in satisfying those needs once the student-athlete is competing in intercollegiate athletics.