Abstract

Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly important priority within sport organizations, yet little is known about how student-athletes conceptualize environmental sustainability or perceive their role in promoting environmentally responsible practices. Guided by Social Learning Theory, this qualitative study explored how NCAA Division I student-athletes understand environmental sustainability. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 student-athletes at a Group of Five institution, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: (a) student-athletes initially conceptualized sustainability through athletic identity rather than environmental stewardship, (b) sustainability was primarily understood through everyday behaviors reinforced through athletic culture, and (c) participants recognized their potential to promote environmental sustainability while identifying barriers to meaningful engagement. Findings suggest that student-athletes often participate in environmentally responsible behaviors despite possessing limited environmental literacy. This study extends the sport sustainability literature by demonstrating that the success of sustainability initiatives depends not only on organizational commitment, but also on intentionally developing environmental literacy among student-athletes.

Keywords

college athletics, environmental sustainability, environmental literacy, student-athletes, Social Learning Theory