Congratulations to Joe DeProssino who on Monday, August 31, 2026, successfully defended his dissertation proposal.
The title of Joe's proposal is, "STRENGTHENING CHARACTER AND SOCIAL BONDS THROUGH ATHLETICS: A QUALITATIVE INTERPRETIVE INQUIRY OF HIGH SCHOOL COACHES' PERCEPTIONS OF GOALS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES."
The abstract of this study follows:
Overview of Problem: Public high schools have long embraced the idea of balancing academic achievement with social-emotional, character, and civic development. Rigid curricular mandates, due to standardized testing requirements and political pressures, often hinder content area secondary teachers from integrating ethics into curricular instruction. However, school mission statements consistently prioritize character growth. Consequently, athletics serve as a vehicle for the achievement of these goals, with coaches playing a key role in fulfilling schools’ developmental missions.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study is to explore how high school coaches perceive their role in building relationships that foster student-athletes’ social-emotional and moral development. The study will examine strategies high school coaches employ to use athletics as a vehicle to reinforce student-athletes’ commitment to school goals and community values. And finally, the study will try to understand how high school coaches communicate and model norms that promote civic responsibility, fairness, and rule adherence in athletic settings. Using Travis Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory as a lens, the study will examine how coaches are strengthening the social bonds of attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.
Research Design: Interpretive qualitative design
Sample: Diverse group of 20 high school coaches with at least five years of experience.
Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews and document analysis.
Dissertation Committee Chair:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
Dissertation Committee Members:
Dr. Joe Durney
Dr. Brandon Beck
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