Abstract:

This literature review aims to highlight some of the current research on resilience in university level/varsity student-athletes during the pandemic. More specifically, the research will focus on student-athletes’ academic and athletic experiences, while also highlighting the impact of the pandemic on their mental well-being. Being a student-athlete requires resilience to handle the demands of both sports and academics. The stress they experience in both areas may go unnoticed, as many student-athletes do not report psychological distress (Uroh & Adewumni, 2021). Resilience, as defined by Resnick (2018), is the capacity to confront and overcome challenges. In a sports psychology context, resilience is also referred to as mental toughness (Jarvis, 2006). The onset of COVID-19 led to new challenges, including lockdowns that led to barriers to training (Purc-Stephenson, et al., 2022), changes to learning environments (Bartusevičienė et al., 2021), and lack of team interactions (Rowe, et al., 2022). Suggestions for student-athletes to build resilience are included in the discussion in order to help them adapt to changes in their future athletic and academic pursuits. Implications for future practice include the development of resource tools to help student-athletes when faced with unique challenges such as the pandemic.

Keywords:

Student-athlete, resilience, pandemic, well-being, athletics, academics.