Citation

Gill EL. J. Soc. Work Educ. 2014; 50(2): 305-321.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Council on Social Work Education)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Every week there is a national news story involving a collegiate student-athlete, and oftentimes the tale relates to a social work education issue. There are 731 social work programs, yet none offers coursework in student-athlete behavior and their environment. Student-athletes experience the same developmental challenges as nonathletes, and mental health disorders, substance abuse challenges, and criminal justice involvement can be exacerbated by their dual roles. This article describes the structure of collegiate sports and athletic department counseling and case management strategies; explores social work education content areas, educational policy and accreditation standards, and related student-athlete vulnerabilities; and it presents avenues to explore student-athlete developmental issues within social work curricula. The article concludes with the benefits of integrating collegiate athletics into social work education.

Language: en