Exploring Student-Athlete Development as a Career for Sport Social Workers

Student-athlete development and sport social work are both relatively new fields in athletics. This article aims to highlight the synergy between these two spaces and promote student-athlete development as a career pathway for sport social workers, particularly in NCAA Division III. After conducting an informal internet search, there were only 6 social workers on the athletics staff across 433 NCAA Division III Institutions. Results found that three social workers worked in clinical services, one worked in administration, one worked in student success, and one in student-athlete development. While most social workers pursue a career in clinical work, it is important to recognize roles like student-athlete development that not only closely align with social work values and goals but also opens more opportunities in a niche subfield of the profession.