Bachelor of Science

This study examines reasons given by elite track and field athletes in Singapore for terminating or maintaining participation in competitive athletics. During the first phase of this study, a sample of 60 elite athletes of both genders responded to open-ended questionnaire items that required them to state, rank and explain up to three reasons why they maintained or terminated participation. These respondents were then grouped into either the participant or the nonparticipant category. For the second phase of this study, semi-structured interviews that discussed in detail the underlying factors for participation or nonparticipation in competitive athletics were conducted with four respondents from phase one of the study, two from each category.

Fourteen sub-categories, which were further grouped into four general reason categories (personal, social, economic and organizational) were created from the data to explain why the elite athletes from the non-participant group ceased participation in competitive athletics. These non-participants ranked the "organizational policies" sub-category as the most significant reason for their termination of participation from the sport. Examples cited included the lack of athlete-centred strategies for development and also fundamental limitations regarding funding.

For the participant group, ten sub-categories were created from the data to explain why these elite athletes maintained participation in the sport. These subcategories were further grouped into three general reason categories (personal, social and economic). These participants ranked the "love for the sport" subcategory as the most significant reason for their competitive athletics participation maintenance. They considered athletics as their "first love" and "passion".