Japanese international student-athletes’ adjustment experience at the National Collegiate Athletic Association

Currently, the number of International-Student Athletes (ISAs) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is increasing over time and Japan is the biggest market for recruiting in Asia. Whereas international students are playing an increasingly important role in the NCAA, several studies have reported that ISAs face challenges in adjusting to their dual identities as students and athletes at universities in the US. Furthermore, it has been cleared Asian students studying at US universities have some challenges because of cultural and linguistic differences. However, it remains unclear whether the difficulties experienced by Japanese ISAs are the same as or different to the adjustment-related challenges experienced by other ISAs or Asian students. The purpose of this study is to clarify challenges for ISAs from Japan in adjusting to the United States’ universities. Situating in the ISA adjustment model and using a unique case study design, 13 Japanese ISAs at the NCAA Division I universities were interviewed, and data were coded by a continuous comparative analysis method. The results revealed that Japanese ISAs who participated in this study faced academic, social, athletic, personal-emotional, and institutional adjustment challenges. Particularly, Japanese ISAs differed from ISAs from other countries in several points; cultural differences, differences in communication styles, and systemic differences in academia and athletics between Japan and the US. For promoting adjustment of Japanese ISAs, this study suggests; gaining experience and getting information to understand and familiarize with the differences, building relationships with linguistic and culturally diverse people to understand various cultures, encouraging universities and coaches to understand specific difficulties for Japanese ISAs.