ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to find out family background and sports performance any student-athletes of the university of Benin. Four research questions were raised and four corresponding hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The study adopted correlational research design. The population of this study was made up of 244 student-athletes of the University of Benin. The sample size was made up of 120 student-athletes and the simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The instrument was validated by three experts all from the University of Benin. The split half method reliability was used to establish the reliability. Data collected was subjected to Cronbach alpha and a reliability coefficient of .753 was obtained. The questionnaire was the instrument used for this study. It was made up of two sections. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics to answer the research questions and Pearson’s correlation analysis to analyze Hypotheses 1,2,3 and regression analysis was used to analyze Hypothesis four. The findings revealed that family structure significantly impacts student-athletes' access to training, emotional support, and performance consistency. Nuclear families provided stronger support for sports participation, whereas extended and polygamous families posed challenges due to competing obligations. Socioeconomic status emerged as a key determinant, with higher-income families affording better coaching, nutrition, and sports resources, positively influencing performance. Parental education was also positively correlated with student-athletes' success, as highly educated parents were more likely to encourage sports participation and provide informed guidance. The study concludes that family background factors collectively influence student-athletes' sports development, highlighting the need for institutional interventions. The research recommends that universities provide financial aid, flexible training programs, and parental education initiatives to support athletes from diverse backgrounds, ensuring equitable opportunities for sports excellence.