Abstract:
This study examined the perceptions regarding diversity among athletic administrators, athletes and coaches. A total of three administrators, 24 coaches and 182 athletes within Ball State University from the Mid-American Conference were assessed during this study. The athletes represented volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, field hockey, softball and soccer. A questionnaire consisting of 22 closed ended questions and three open ended questions was utilized for this study. Data were analyzed using a t-test (p< .05) and frequency counts. Four research questions were answered through the data collected. Thefirst research question addressed the extent to which athletic administrators and coaches agree discrimination has taken place in the past two years against athletes based on race, sexual orientation, gender, or religious preference. Results indicated minorities (47.4%) agreed more than whites (31.5%) that discrimination had taken place.The second question addressed the frequency of first hand knowledge, during the past two years that various forms of discrimination have occurred between males and females, whites and minorities and coaches/administrators and athletes within Ball State Athletics. The results demonstrated that females and minority athletes had more first-hand knowledge than males, whites and coaches/administrators.The third question focused on the perception of diversity within Ball State Athletics. The results indicated that whites (t (205) = 3.28, p =.001) had a more favorable view of diversity within Ball State Athletics than did blacks.Research question four addressed the extent to which administrators/coaches, athletes, whites, minorities, males and females believed more positively in respect and the open door policy. The results indicated that whites (t (205) = 3.17, p = .002) think there is an open-door policy within Ball State athletics more than minorities.