An examination of the reasons why female athletes dropout of track and field in Singapore

• Main Author: Pereira, Valerie Seema
• Other Authors: National Institute of Education
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/59611
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

It has been observed that over the years there have been increases in the number of promising female athletes dropping out of track and field. In this present study, self- determination theory was used as a guiding framework to examine the reasons why this is so. The purpose of this study is that by understanding the motivation or behavioural regulations of female athletes in Singapore, the occurrences of drop out can be minimized and the potential to perform maximized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 female participants (Mage = 24.53, SD = 2.42). The participants were chosen based on former national representation, or having once earned a national schools championship title. Grounded theory methods were employed on the data where firstly, audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim. Subsequently, open coding and axial coding methods were employed. This revealed 5 themes that identified the reasons for drop out and the changes that occurred which influenced and affected their decision: Coach, Team, Training and Performance, Support and Stage in Life. The findings highlighted that the first four themes were influencing factors that resulted in a lost in motivation to participate in track and field, with three themes linking back to the need for relatedness no longer being satisfied. The last theme was the deciding factor to drop out when participants no longer had external and introjected reasons to continue. This study underlines the importance of relatedness and external regulation for female track and field athletes in Singapore and the findings will be useful for relevant stakeholders to retain and execute to improve female retention in track and field in Singapore.