INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETES IN THE UAAP: CROSS-

CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND ITS RELATIONS TO ATHLETIC AND

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

An Undergraduate Thesis Proposal

Submitted to the Physical Education Department
College of Education, Arts, and Sciences
National University, Manila

In Partial Fulfillment in the Degree

Bachelor of Physical Education
Major in Sports and Wellness Management

Submitted by
Alejandrino, Amanda Louise

February 2017

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 3
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................................................... 3
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE............................................................................................................... 4
Definition of International Student………………………………………………………………………………4
Challenges that international student-athletes face…………………………………………………………...4
Research on the adjustment process for international student-athletes…………………………………….5
Defining Cross-Cultural Adjustment…………………………………………………………………………….6
Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………………………………………...6
Existing studies…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…9
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.................................................................................................................... 11
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY……………………………………………………………………………...11

METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 12
RESEARCH DESIGN .................................................................................................................................... 12
POPULATION .............................................................................................................................................. 12
INSTRUMENTATION
Interview Protocol ................................................................................................................................ 13
Observation .......................................................................................................................................... 13
DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE................................................................................................................. 13
DATA ANALYSIS…………………………………………………………………………………………..13
FINDINGS................................................................................................................................................... 14
PERSONAL DIMENSION .............................................................................................................................. 16
Self-Efficacy……………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Athletic Aptitude……………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Academic Aptitude……………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Technical Competencies………………………………………………………………………………………....19
English Proficiency………………………………………………………………………………………….....19
Travel Experience………………………………………………………………………………………………...20
INTERPERSONAL DIMENSION ..................................................................................................................... 21
Friends from Home Nation……………………………………………………………………………………...21
Fellow Foreign Friends………………………………………………………………………………………….22
Filipino Friends…………………………………………………………………………………………………..23
Coaches……………………………………………………………………………………………………………23
Faculty and Staff………………………………………………………………………………………………….25
PERCEPTUAL DIMENSION ........................................................................................................................... 25
Realistic Expectations........................................................................................................................... 26
Institutional Practices........................................................................................................................... 29
UAAP’s Two-Year Residency Rule…………………………………………………………………………..29
The one-foreigner per team rule and the gradual ban…………………………………………………….32
Family Influence ................................................................................................................................... 36
CULTURAL DISTANCE……………………………………………………………………………………..37
CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………………….40
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………….45

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 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETES IN THE UAAP: CROSS-CULTURAL
ADJUSTMENT AND ITS RELATIONS TO ATHLETIC AND ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT:

International student-athletes have been fixtures in UAAP college campuses since the
1970’s (Olivares, 2013). Coaches and athletic administrators may wonder how well these
individuals are adjusting to college life relative to their new environment. The purpose of this
study is to examine which factors are applicable to be the best indicators of successful
adjustment to college for international student-athletes in the UAAP. Multiple qualitative
interviews with eight international student-athletes who have graduated from and/or are currently
enrolled at any of the eight UAAP universities, and two UAAP coaches were conducted.
Observation and the collection of supporting documents were used to validate the interviews.
New dimension subheading institutional practices emerged from the data and was added to the
model of international athlete adjustment in the UAAP.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The presence of international student-athletes in the UAAP is not a recent occurrence. Since
the 1970s, the UAAP, which was established in the 1930s, has featured foreign players. The
earliest documented foreign athlete in the UAAP is Spanish Joaquin Valdez of the UST Glowing
Goldies (football, 1970s). After his service, a few more Middle Eastern players, and an Italian
were recruited in the football programs of the UST and the UP Maroons respectively. Since then,
recruiting and the provision of athletic scholarships became a part of normal operations among
the universities and contributed to the influx of foreign recruits (Olivares, 2014). Despite the
ongoing debates associated with recruiting foreign athletes, the influx of international student-
athletes is likely to continue. Because international student-athletes have been fixtures in UAAP
college campuses, coaches and athletic administrators may wonder how well these individuals
are adjusting to college life relative to their new environment.

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 Ridinger and Pastore proposed a theoretical model to assess the adjustment of international
athletes coming to U.S. colleges. Their model included (a) adjustment factors, (b) antecedent
dimensions to those factors, and (c) outcomes. Popp, Love, Kim, and Hums in 2010 modified the
model of adjustment and added antecedent dimensions: (a) sense of adventure, (b) previous
international travel experience, and (c) family influence (Popp, Love, Kim, Hums, 2010).

While they took an important step toward a better understanding of adjustment of

international collegiate athletes with the developments of their models, the purpose of the current
study is to extend their work by exploring how the antecedent factors identified connect to the
actual lived experiences of international collegiate athletes in UAAP universities. Such work can
help to not only provide an improved theoretical understanding of cross-cultural adjustment, but
also help university officials better support international athletes in succeeding academically,
athletically, and more broadly as individuals. Furthermore, the researcher hopes to promote
Filipino culture and the high quality of education and athletic programs available in the
Philippines, more specifically, among the UAAP universities.

1.2 Review of Related Literature

1.2.1 Definition of “International Student”

According to “International Student Mobility: Patterns and Trends” from World Education
News and Reviews (2007), the definitions of “International Student” are specific to national
educational systems. The United States definition of “international student” is “students who are
enrolled at institutions of higher education in the US who are not citizens of the US, immigrants,
or refugees. These may include holders of student visas, temporary work/trainee visas, temporary
educational exchange-visitor visas, and vocational training visas. Data thus exclude students who
have long-term or permanent residency.”

1.2.2 Challenges that international student-athletes face

The transition to college is marked by complex challenges in emotional, social, and academic
adjustments. Student–athletes experience additional pressures of adjusting to the demands of
participating in intercollegiate athletics (Etzel, Ferrante, & Pinkney, 1991). In a narrower focus,
when compared to other college students, the challenges which student-athletes are faced with

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might be listed as follows: (a) learning to balance athletic and academic pursuits; (b) adapting to
a certain degree of isolation from social and more “mainstream” activities; (c) managing success
or lack thereof; (d) attending to their physical health in a more deliberate way as to avoid injury
and subsequent rehabilitation; (e) satisfying multiple relationships, including the ones concerning
their coaches, parents, friends, and community, and; (f) terminating an athletic career and finding
other activities in which participation will bring about a very similar, if not an even higher level
of satisfaction (Parham, 1993). For international student athletes, cultural concerns can be added
to the list of stressors. Some students find ways to make this transition constructively and are
able to adapt to college, whereas others feel overwhelmed and unable to effectively meet the
demands of their new roles (Gerdes & Mallinckrodt, 1994).

1.2.2 Research on the adjustment process for international student-athletes

In Bale’s (1987) examination of migration decisions by international athletes, nearly 40% of

surveyed participants did not complete, nor had any intention to complete, their degree at their
United States college; highlighting a dire need to understand the well-being and adjustment of
international student-athletes. Some schools have begun special assistance programs to help meet
the needs of international student-athletes (Berkowitz, 2006), yet very little research has been
conducted to understand the migrant athlete adjustment process to American universities.

Ridinger and Pastore (2000) proposed a framework to examine such an adjustment process,
including different antecedent dimensions which could impact ability to adjust. These antecedent
factors stemmed primarily from business and education cross-cultural adjustment literature, but
as this study demonstrates, such factors are certainly relevant to international athletes as well.

In 2010, Popp, Love, Kim, and Hums conducted a study to examine whether the antecedent
factors listed by Ridinger and Pastore were indeed the best indicators of successful adjustment to
college for international migrant athletes and to determine if other antecedent factors were also
relevant to adjustment. Through interviews with participants, nearly all the antecedent
dimensions from the Ridinger and Pastore (2000) framework were expressed in some form,
although some seemed to have less relevance than others. New factors also emerged and seem
appropriate to add to the model as additional subtopics under the antecedent headings of the
personal and perceptual dimensions. These new subheadings include sense of adventure, and

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previous international travel experience under the personal dimension and family influence
under the perceptual dimension.

1.2.3 Defining “cross-cultural adjustment”

Before proceeding with the development of our theoretical framework, it is important to

define what is meant by the term cross-cultural adjustment. Palthe (2004) defined cross-cultural
adjustment as “the process of adaptation to living and working in a foreign culture” (p.39).
Further, the concept of adjustment involves the level of comfort or familiarity that a migrant
psychologically perceives from his/her new country (Black, 1988; Black, Gregersen,
Mendenhall, & Stroh, 1999). In the body of research on cross-cultural adjustment, the
psychological perceptions of new migrants have been found to be influenced by such variables as
self-efficacy (Harrison,Chadwick, & Scales, 1996), learning orientation (Porter & Tansky, 1999),
work variables (Black & Gregersen, 1991), cultural similarity (Church, 1982), and family
adjustment (Tung, 1981; Stroh, Dennis, & Cramer, 1994).

1.2.4 Theoretical Framework

Model of Adjustment for International Student-Athletes by Ridinger and Pastor

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Figure 1. Model of adjustment for international student-athletes
From: Ridinger and Pastore (2000)
Popp, N., Love, A., Kim, S., & Hums, M. (2010) Cross-Cultural Adjustments and International Collegiate Athletes.
Journal of Intercollegiate Sport. (3), 163-181.
Retrieved 6 June, 2016.

Under this model, the level of successful adjustment (of international student-athletes to
college) is based on four antecedent dimensions: a. personal; b. interpersonal; c. perceptual, and
d. cultural distance. According to Ridinger and Pastore (2000), these elements are critical in
predicting international athlete adjustments to college. The personal dimension refers to the
confidence and self-efficacy levels individuals possess regarding their athletic and academic
abilities, as well as their competency of English of nonnative English speakers. Interpersonal
factors involve relationships with key people in the college adjustment process, including
coaches, administrators, faculty, and fellow teammates. The perceptual dimension includes the
athletes’ expectations of what the university and athletic program will be like and what sort of
social support, such as counseling and advising, are available for the individual upon arrival. The
final antecedent dimension is labeled cultural distance. This concept refers to the differences

7
between the home culture and the culture found on the college campus, which can be both a
geographical distance and a societal or cultural gap.

Model of Adjustment for International Student-Athletes by Popp, Love, Kim, Hums

Figure 2. A revised model of adjustment for international student-athletes

From: Popp, N., Love, A., Kim, S., & Hums, M. (2010)
Popp, N., Love, A., Kim, S., & Hums, M. (2010) Cross-Cultural Adjustments and International Collegiate Athletes.
Journal of Intercollegiate Sport. (3), 163-181.
Retrieved 6 June, 2016.

In Popp, Love, Kim, and Hum’s study, “Cross-Cultural Adjustments and International
Collegiate Athletes”, a modified version of Pastore and Ridinger’s model of adjustment was
developed. The purpose of their study was to extend Ridinger and Pastore’s work by exploring
how the antecedent factors connected to the actual living experiences of international migrant
athletes at U.S. universities. New factors emerged from their study as additional subtopics under
the antecedent headings of personal and perceptual dimensions. These new subheadings include

8
sense of adventure and previous international travel experience under the personal dimension
and family influence under the perceptual dimension.

1.2.5 Existing studies’ results

Results from Ridinger and Pastore’s study showed that international student-athletes,
compared to the rest of the student body (domestic non-athlete students, domestic student
athletes, and international non-athlete students) had the highest mean scores for over-all
adjustment to college. Statistically, they were significantly well-adjusted than international non-
athletes. This may be due to the fact that the international non-athletes in this sample were
primarily from Asia while most of the international student–athletes were from North America or
Europe.

Thus, international student–athletes had less cultural distance between themselves and their
home cultures and fewer adjustments to make in comparison to their international non-athlete
counterparts. International student–athletes also had the highest mean score of all the subgroups
on the academic adjustment subscale. Bale (1991) found that obtaining an education was of
prime importance to most international student–athletes and they were usually academically well
prepared. International student–athletes again scored significantly higher than international non-
athletes on the social adjustment subscale. Church (1982) reported that the number, variety, and
depth of social encounters with host nationals may be the most important or decisive factors
related to sojourner adjustment. Athletes tend to form strong social bonds with teammates and
this may create an environment more favorable to adjustment (Bale, 1987). In conclusion,
adjustment to college did not appear to be problematic for international student–athletes in
comparison to non-athletes or domestic student–athletes in this study. In fact, international
student–athletes had the highest mean score of all subgroups in terms of academic and overall
adjustment to college.

Popp, Love, Kim, and Hum’s study focused on the role that each of the antecedents played in
the adjustment process that international student-athletes experience. Among Ridinger and

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Pastore’s (2000) antecedent dimensions, only the interpersonal factor contained a subheading
with marginal relevance, namely faculty/staff. As other researchers have shown, student-athletes
at NCAA Division I institutions often have decisions made for them regarding their academic
progress and when they attend study sessions (Adler & Adler, 1985, Howard-Hamilton & Sina,
2001). It seems likely international student-athlete relationships with professors and faculty
might be limited because these decision-making processes are taken out of their hands. Other
reasons exist as to why international student-athletes might feel a disconnect with university
faculty such as differences in learning style (Ladd & Ruby, 1999), a higher rate of classroom
absenteeism due to athletics commitments, or intentions to return to their home nation after
school, which might lessen the desire to develop long-term relationships with professors.
Whatever the case, this study seems to indicate a lack of positive or significant relationships with
faculty will not appreciably hinder successful college adjustment for international athletes. This
was the only factor from the model which did not seem to belong. Other factors in this study
emerged as important. International student-athletes tend to possess a heightened sense of
adventure and were more comfortable with international travel when comparing themselves to
their domestic college teammates. Without these attributes, international athletes would likely
not be as willing to make the jump from their native country to the United States. For college
athletics recruiters, this could imply the need to focus on more than just athletic ability when
scouting overseas talent. Finding potential athletes who are ready to make the leap to NCAA
Division I competition may require more background knowledge about the recruit besides
sporting talent. In addition, family influence was also a major contributing factor in international
student-athletes’ decisions to attend a United States college. Parr, Bradley, and Bingi (1992)
found family was the most important concern for international students. Similarly, in the current
study, parents often played a significant role in the decision making process to come to the
United States. Parents tended to value both athletics and a college education. In turn, they were
supportive of their child participating in the cross-cultural exchange.

1.2.6 Conclusion
The current study aims to utilize the models of adjustment designed by Ridinger and Pastore
and Popp, Love, Kim, and Hums and their findings to examine which factors lead to the
successful adjustment of international student-athletes to their college lifestyles while they are at

10
a UAAP university in the Philippines. The past studies were conducted within the United States
of America, therefore the culture which their participants had to be accustomed to is different
from the current study’s setting. The current study aims to recommend practical practices to the
different departments of the UAAP schools to help international student-athletes improve their
academic and athletic performances as they continue to adjust to their schools’ and the country’s
culture. The researchers see this study as enrichment to the existing body of knowledge on cross-
cultural adjustments and international student-athletes as it expands knowledge by offering a
different perspective through the Philippine setting and culture.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine which factors affect the adjustment of international student-
athletes to college in a UAAP university in the Philippines.

RQ1: How do each of the following antecedents aid in the adjustment process of international
student-athletes in the UAAP?

a. Personal
b. Perceptual
c. Cultural
d. Interpersonal

RQ2: How do international student-athletes adjust to their new environment in the following
aspects:

a. Academic
b. Athletic
c. Social
d. Personal/Emotional;
e. and, Institutional

1.4 Significance of the Study

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 Along with the higher education schools’ increased use and reliance on athletic programs to
generate publicity and income, entertain communities, and recruit quality (athlete and non-
athlete) students to their institutions, there has been an increase in research dedicated to
developing an understanding of the college student-athlete experience as a whole. To that end, it
is the goal of this text to provide readers with a glimpse into the unique challenges, barriers, and
opportunities encountered, specifically by foreign college student-athletes of the UAAP league,
which are for the most part, integral to their success yet are far removed from the consciousness
of the average college sports fan.

This study aims to speak to international student-athletes who are enrolled in and/or
preparing to enter a UAAP school. Through this research, we aim to help them identify what the
major factors are into assimilating into Philippine and UAAP culture successfully. Through this
research, we are giving UAAP foreign athlete hopefuls a clearer picture of what to expect while
they are transitioning into life as a college student in the Philippines.

This study aims to speak to coaches, athletic department employees, and team managers of
the eight UAAP universities. Through this research, we aim to present a fair evaluation of the
strengths and weaknesses of their programs regarding the recruiting of foreign players, their
support in the assimilation processes of their athletes, and the availability or lack of programs
that help athletes perform at their best academically and sports-wise.

2.0 Methodology

2.1 Research Design

This study will be using the qualitative approach of a case study. This study will show an
in-depth analysis of important aspects to cross-cultural adjustments of international student-
athletes such as the athlete’s behaviors and views towards his athletic and academic
performance, the perceptions of those who interact with him, the context of the school, and other
variables. To determine which factors affect the adjustment process of these athletes, interview
protocols will be conducted with international student-athletes from the UAAP schools and their
coaches.

2…2 Population

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 The population of this study consists of eight international student-athletes who are
currently enrolled and/or have graduated from (preferably) each and/or any of the UAAP
universities and two UAAP coaches who have handled foreign athletes on their teams.

2.3 Instrumentation

2.3.1 Interview Protocol

All participation was completely voluntary, and participants were fully informed about the
goals of the study. The method utilized to obtain the research was through in-depth interviews of
the subjects. The interviews lasted about thirty minutes on average per participant, utilizing an
interview protocol. The interviews took place in a public, central, on-campus location.

The subjects were informed that their disclosed answers would be solely for the use of
improving the current and future assimilation processes for international student-athletes.

2.3.2 Observation

To validate their answers from the interviews, we will be observing two athletes and one
coach at practice, at a school setting, and in class. We will particularly be observing how they
perform in athletic and academic settings, how they interact with their environment, local
students, foreign friends, and their team mates.

2.4 Data Gathering Procedure

1. Select eight international student-athletes and two UAAP coaches to be interviewed

2. Determine their schedules and set up meetings with them, either individually or
grouped, depending on the availability of their schedules
3. Administer the informed consent to the respondents
4. Administer the interview protocol
5. Analyze the data
6. Get permission from athletic departments to observe selected respondents at campus
7. Validate the data gathered from the interviews through observation

2.5 Data Analysis

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 Analysis of the content and patterns reflected in responses of the participants during the
interviews and through observation will determine which factors lead to satisfying adjustments
of international student-athletes to their new environment in a UAAP university.

3.0 Findings

Interviewee Demographics

Interviewee Demographics

Student Home
Interviewee Gender Sport Played University
Status Nation

University of the
Respondent A Male Graduate Basketball Cameroon
East

National
Respondent B Female Junior Basketball Congo
University

Far Eastern
Respondent C Male Senior Basketball Nigeria
University

De La Salle
Respondent D Male Senior Basketball Cameroon
University

Adamson
Respondent E Male Junior Basketball Cameroon
University
Ateneo De
Respondent F Male Junior Basketball Manila Nigeria
University
University of
Respondent G Male Freshman Basketball Cameroon
Santo Tomas

National
Respondent H Male Senior Basketball Cameroon
University

Figure 3. Interviewee Demographics

From: Alejandrino (2016)
Alejandrino, A. (2016) International Student-Athletes in the UAAP: Cross-Cultural Adjustment and its Relations to
Athletic and Academic Performance.

Through interviews and observation with and of the participants, nearly all the antecedent
dimensions from the Popp, Love, Kim, Hums (2010) framework were expressed in some form,
and most have proved to be relevant to the participants’ adjustment processes. From the Pastore
and Ridinger (2000) framework, faculty/staff was a factor listed under the Interpersonal
antecedent which the Popp, Love, Kim, Hums framework omitted as it was not supported by the

14
data collected from their research. Nearly all of their participants said they were comfortable and
doing well in school, but none expressed a strong relationship with any of the professors or other
faculty members. For the current study, we included interview questions regarding the
international student-athlete’s relationship with his/her professors to understand if strong
relationships with professors affect their adjustment to the Filipino and UAAP universities
environments.

A new subheading, institutional practices, also emerged and seemed appropriate to add under
the perceptual dimension. Figure 3 shows the revised adjustment model for cross-cultural
adjustments of international student-athletes in the UAAP setting.

All the participants in this study are of African descent, seven are male and one is female. All
the participants are basketball players. The University of the Philippines had no international
student-athlete to be represented by in this study. The researcher added an additional subject
from National University to complete the sample population.

15
Figure 4. Model of adjustment for international student-athletes in the UAAP
From: Alejandrino (2016)
Alejandrino, A. (2016) International Student-Athletes in the UAAP: Cross-Cultural Adjustment and its Relations to
Athletic and Academic Performance.

3.1 Personal Dimension

In the Ridinger and Pastore (2000) model, the first antecedent factor for international
student-athlete adjustment was labeled personal dimensions, which was split into self-
efficacy and technical competencies. Ridinger and Pastore further divided these headings
into subcategories: (a) athletic aptitude and (b) academic aptitude under self-efficacy, and
English language proficiency under technical competencies. After Popp, Love Kim and
Hums (2010) studied Ridinger and Pastore’s model, they considered it fit to include
travel experience and adventure as appropriate headings under the personal dimension
antecedent.

3.1.1 Self-Efficacy

3.1.1.1 Athletic Aptitude

Athletic aptitude did not seem to be an issue for the participants in this study simply
because through their recruitment, they felt assured of their place on the team and were
confident they would be talented enough to compete. All the participants are basketball
players from African countries and most of them have gone overseas for basketball
competitions, even NBA camps, to represent their countries. Because of this high level of
experience, many of the athletes came to the Philippines with little doubt that their
athletic ability would be adequate for the competition level. All the participants were
confident that they would be able to deliver athletically for their teams but some had to
adjust to the new roles given to them. When recruiting athletes from abroad, Filipino
coaches usually look for players who can fill in the center or “big man” role. When asked
what motivates UAAP teams to recruit foreign players, Coach Vic Carriaso of NU’s
Men’s Basketball program shares, “it all started when San Beda recruited (Sam) Ekwe
and we saw the advantage of having a big man, a big guy, to play the middle, because
definitely, Filipinos are not that tall.”

16
 Although confident in their athletic abilities, some of the athletes come to the
Philippines trained as small or power forwards, and so, had to adjust to the big man game
by learning fundamentals for the center position. Respondent F, a Nigerian baller
standing at 6’9’’ shares,

“In terms of basketball, I felt I was confident in myself, but when I got here the system
had to change. Back home I was a, uh, playing more of the little man game. I was the
small forward because we had the bigger guys. But getting here, I had to adjust cause I
had to learn how to play the big side. I’ll say that that was a little more challenging.”

Respondent A, a Cameroonian standing at 6’6” reiterated this notion by saying,

“I wasn’t really playing good at UAAP, ‘cause I was a 3 and they made me play 4 and 5,
because that’s what the team needed. I got a stuck a little bit, but I was really great on
defense.”

Although some adjustments had to be made according to the new roles assigned to
them, all of the participants believed that they have all played valuable and vital roles to
their teams’ programs.

3.1.1.2 Academic Aptitude

With football being the most popular sport in most of Africa, basketball isn’t given
much exposure, leaving ballers with limited athletic-scholarship opportunities at home.
The foreign athletes recruited by the UAAP were motivated to come to the Philippines
mainly because they were given the opportunity to study on a scholarship and pursue
their basketball dreams simultaneously. The most common motivators were their parents.

All respondents have stated that they are satisfied with their progress as students.
Although a couple of respondents are taking up courses that weren’t their first choices,
they’ve found that they have adjusted well to their current fields.

The UAAP’s rules and regulations, effective UAAP Season 70 (A.Y. 2007-2008) as
approved by the UAAP Board of Trustees, at its Annual Board Meeting on May 22,
2007, requires a college athlete to pass the required number of subjects in the

17
term/semester preceding the start of the competitions to make him eligible to play (Lojo,
Alvarez, 2013). All the foreign-athletes have passed this requirement and have been
eligible to play during their years of service. According to this standard, all the athletes
interviewed for this study have adjusted positively to their academic responsibilities.

The athletes credit different factors for helping them in being able to adjust
academically. Respondent D, a starter from the De La Salle University’s basketball team
says that the athletics department and his team’s student managers have helped him
perform well academically despite his busy team schedule. He almost made it on the
dean’s list last term, missing the standard by just .5 of a grade. He is aiming to make it to
the dean’s list in the current semester. He shares,

“They’re (the athletics department) really strict with school, they check if you go to class
and do your homework. They always make sure that if you’re having a hard time with
class, that you can get a tutor or something like that. So, I felt like it would be easy
because the school is giving you nice schedules, that won’t be in conflict with any of your
practices or games. I feel like they will be really supportive. We also have student
managers that help us with what we need… I’m doing pretty great. I almost made it to the
dean’s list. So, I think I’m really doing great. Hopefully, this term, I make it to the dean’s
list.”

Respondent F shares that he credits his team’s dynamic for continuously motivating him
to pass all of his subjects. He says, “They cut people off (from the team) for failing their
classes.” Respondent A, a graduate from the University of the East, who is currently
taking up his master’s in business management in the Philippines, also gives credit to his
team for his successful athletic adjustment. “The only thing I really needed help with was
Algebra, and my team mates helped me there.”

Lastly, good relationships with classmates have also been an important factor in helping
international athletes keep up with their classes. Respondent B shares,

“I have one guy friend here that I like. We’re able to talk about a lot of things. Yeah, he’s
the one who went with me to my classes when I was new, Jun… He helped the professors

18
understand that I was new and can’t understand English. He told me about Google
translate so I had an easier time at class.”

3.1.2 Technical Competencies

3.1.2.1 English Proficiency

Around 40% percent of the subjects have been fluent English speakers even before
coming to the Philippines; two subjects from Nigeria have English as their first language.
For nonnative English speakers, language was certainly a barrier to their adjustment to
Philippine college life. Out of five of the nonnative English speakers, only Respondent D
took one term purely for English classes, although these classes were not taken at a
UAAP university. The rest had to rely on teammates and classmates, Google translate,
TV, and English books to get by. By the second semester at school, many of them felt
communication reached a satisfactory level. All of the participants can now communicate
in English proficiently.

Filipino, the national language, was mostly derived from the Tagalog dialect. Because
the UAAP universities are based in Manila where Tagalog and/or Filipino is widely used,
the international student-athletes have picked up Filipino words through contact with
their local team mates and classmates. Another dialect that most of them can distinguish
is Bisaya. The international student-athletes have come to appreciate learning the
language seeing that it helps them make friendships amongst the locals. Respondent C, a
Nigerian who has taken effort in learning the native language says says,

“It helps cause when people know you understand them, it makes them wanna talk to you
more. If you don’t really talk to them, they think that you don’t really care about them.
So, there. I just try to be at least as nice as I can… It’s like I know a lot of Tagalog, but I
just don’t speak too much. If you talk to me I reply back but in English or I do the
Taglish, it depends.”

Although all of them have expressed that learning Filipino can be helpful in developing
friendships, most of the international student-athletes do not feel the urgency to learn it as

19
their curriculums at university are in English and most Filipinos are proficient English
speakers.

3.1.3 Previous International Travel Experience and Sense of Adventure

Popp, Love, Kim, and Hums’ study (2010) on international student-athletes’ cross-
cultural adjustment seemed to suggest the addition of two subcategories under the
personal dimension antecedent heading. They are named a) sense of adventure, and b)
previous international travel experience. For nearly all of their participants, these two
factors played a critical role in their cross-cultural adjustment. These two antecedents
proved valuable to each of the student-athletes interviewed in this study to adjusting to
Philippine culture as well. Each of the participants considered themselves adventurous
people who have a desire to be independent and self-supporting. Respondent B, who had
no travel experience prior to coming to the Philippines explained,

“I really wanted to come to the Philippines for basketball. And I wanted to leave my
family, and try to live alone. I wanted to feel that I’m old already! I also wanted to know
what it would be like to be on a plane because it would be my first time to travel…

When I was young, I always told my parents that I would leave when I was 18. And now,
I’m exploring and going out by myself. When I travelled, I was only 17. So, when I got
here in the Philippines, I called my dad and I told him, “I told you!” Now I’m able to do
whatever I want. I buy my own clothes… Yeah, I can provide for myself now.”

Through participation in elite programs in their homeland, nearly all of the students had
played in elite international competition before entering college. Respondents D and H,
for example, have represented their national teams in the junior/high school division for
FIBA tournaments in Africa and Europe. Other subjects have also had family vacation
trips that brought them to Asia. Such previous cross-culture experience has been shown
to increase ability to adjust in a new culture (Adler, 1975; Church 1982; Furnham,
Bochner, & Lonner, 1986). Prior international travel also reduced anxiety as many of the
participants already had a valid passport and were familiar with the paperwork and
bureaucracy involved in overseas travel (Popp, Love, Kim, Hums, 2010).

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3.2 Interpersonal Dimension

In the Ridinger and Pastore (2000) model, the interpersonal dimension suggests
international student-athletes adjust better if they form positive relationships with
teammates, coaches, and school faculty members early in the arrival process.
Socialization with host nationals has been shown to be critical in the adjustment of
international students (Church, 1982) and several studies have shown international
students struggle socially in their new environment (Kaczmarek, Matlock, Merta, Ames,
& Ross, 1994; Rajapaksa & Dundes, 2002). Sports team participation, however, offers a
pre-established socialization network. Several participants in the current study said
relationships with peers played a critical role in their adjustment, although these peer
groups varied by individual.

3.2.1 Friends from Home Nation

For some participants, the key socializing agents were friends and fellow athletes from
their home nation who have successfully transitioned to life as an international collegiate
athlete in the Philippines. Six out of the eight participants found out about scholarship
opportunities in the Philippines from their friends from back home. The good experiences
that their peers had in the Philippines encouraged them to apply for scholarships too.
These peers often did not attend the same university, but were able to share critical advice
during the adjusting process which made the participants in this study feel more secure
about their futures in the Philippines. Respondent C, who went through a difficult time
serving his two-year residency shared that his peers from home helped him surpass a dry
and frustrating time in his career.

“…They didn’t tell me I was gonna do residency for two years. Nobody told me that… So
right, when I came here and they told me, I was really mad at first. Oh! I wanted to leave
actually. I wanted to leave (my school). I wanted to go home cause I was really mad
cause they didn’t tell me anything about it. But later on, I talked to my mum and I talked
to uh, Tristan, he was the import before for FEU. He’s tall, like Sentcheu. I talked to him
and he was like, “Prince, I know you’re mad. Just take it easy.” I talked to some
people… I talked to Ola (a fellow Nigerian) from San Beda. So, he just told me, “I know

21
it’s really annoying, just relax. After two years, some things might be different.” So, okay,
I stayed.”

A few seasons later, this very athlete led his team to win the UAAP basketball
championship in season 78.

3.2.2 Fellow Foreign Friends

A second key peer group was other international student-athletes and students who were
attending the same schools, and in some cases, playing on the same teams. Even though
they may not have been from the same host nation, fellow international athletes often
bonded because they endured the same cross-cultural adjustment process (Popp et al.
2000). Respondent C states, “I hang out with my half-Filipino team mates more. ‘Cus
they’re like, it’s like half-Filipino, German, Americans, whatever… ‘Cause I feel like
they understand me more”. Respondent D further explains,

“I’d say it (adjustment) was easy because for me, our team has players from all over the
world like Fil-Ams, Fil-Australians, Fil-Germans, so we’re coming from everywhere. So,
it’s easy for us to gel because we know we’re not from here but we’re a team and you
know, La Salle is making it easy for us to gel okay. That’s probably one of the reasons
why they make us live together in the dorm.”

Interestingly, Respondent A, another Cameroonian from the University of the East

shared that he has been part of a foreign students’ club that his university hosts. He’s
spent the holidays, and even travelled different parts of the Philippines with his fellow
club members.

“I spend some Christmases with some friends, if ever, outside school. I have other
foreign friends from China, Japan… We guys get together and meet each other. Iranians,
Nepalese. Yeah, I’ve met them… We just gather there, like the school doesn’t require us
to meet but we hang out. It’s like a foreign club that we exchange with other schools like
UE Caloocan and another school in Laguna. And we meet with them… They asked me to
be the president of the club in UE, but it was too much pressure ‘cause I had school and
practice.

22
We go out together, like we put money in our fund for maybe after December we have a
party… Or if someone has a big home, we chill there on Saturdays. Last time they went to
Baguio, we also travel together… Hong Kong, Macau. I’m so sociable, that’s the thing. If
God dropped me in any part of the world, I’ll be okay. One month, yeah, I gotta adjust,
but after that I’ll be good.”

3.2.3. Filipino Friends

Filipino team mates and class mates comprised a third key peer group. Filipino peers
have helped greatly with the foreigners’ ability to learn how to communicate in English.
The foreigners have also been able to understand conversations in Tagalog and Bisaya
through interaction with their Filipino friends. The foreigners have been dependent on
Filipino students to get around their campuses and their surrounding areas during their
first few months at school. Communicating with professors and classmates for school
work have been made easier with the help of Filipino classmates. Filipino mannerisms
(e.g. beso, mano, pointing with the lips, etc.), Filipino slang, and Filipino style of
courtship are some more things that the foreigners picked up through the time spent with
Filipino friends. Despite all of this, according to the data collected, the impact of this
group on adjustment was much more limited than the influence of the other two peer
groups. Out of eight athletes interviewed, only Respondent F has shared that he is more
comfortable spending majority of his time with Filipino team mates than his fellow
foreign friends.

3.2.4. Coaches

In Ridinger and Pastore’s model, they suggested that relationships with coaches played
a key role in helping international student-athletes adjust. This was true for many of the
participants in the study. Seven out of the eight participants have felt that their head or
assistant coach played an instrumental role in their adjustment to their new environments.
Respondent G has yet to build a solid relationship with his coach as he has only been
enrolled in his university for four months. All of the athletes have stated that they have
functional working relationships with their coaches which has kept them motivated to do

23
better in their teams. They have expressed that their coaches have showed them direction
and guidance in filling their roles as their team’s import. Respondent B shared,

“My coach always tells me that he needs me and that nobody could stop me if I wanted
to. Sometimes, I get scared, but he pushes me. He always tells me, ‘No one can stop you.’
That made me become stronger.”

Three players from the study have expressed that they have been frustrated with their
coaches at times. Friction in any type of relationship seems to be inevitable, and conflict
can be further magnified by times of pressure to deliver, which is often felt by members
of collegiate sports teams. The players have expressed that although there may be times
of misunderstanding between themselves and their coaches, working towards a common
goal has helped them set aside personal interests for a larger purpose. Respondent C from
Far Eastern University shared,

“(My coaches and I) we good. Yeah, of course we’re gonna have rough times. For
example, you wanna take jump shots outside, but they don’t wanna make you take jump
shots outside – they want you to get the ball inside. You guys are gonna have an
argument, but at the end of the day, eeeh… you don’t really have a choice. You’re just
gonna have to play with the system cause everything has a rule in the team, but we get
along.”

Respondent H, from National University, shared the same sentiment,

“Well, with coaches, you know there are some times when you have friction. But I guess
it happens to everybody because there are times when you have good and bad games, so
sometimes it’s really hard to take critiques. But after, when you cool down, you start to
understand and you go back to your coach and then, you know, fix things up. But at the
end of the day, I’ll say it’s all good.”

Some participants said that they felt their coaches were concerned about their personal
well-being, not just their athletic talents. Respondent F, an Atenean, shared this about
former Blue Eagle’s head coach, Bo Perasol,

24
“He (my coach) made me feel at home… and he always used to take me out on
adventures with his family for the weekend. Yeah, we always go to Tagaytay and a couple
of places. He like basically made me wanna forget my family ‘cause he made me, he
treated me like a son. We always hang out, takes me out to restaurants with his family…”

3.2.5 Faculty and Staff

One area of the Ridinger and Pastore model which was not supported by the data
collected in this study was the importance of the faculty and staff relationships with
international student-athletes. This proved to be the same for the study conducted by
Popp, Kim, Love, and Hums in 2010. Nearly all of the participants said they were
comfortable and doing well in school. Most have also shared that they see that it is
important to have working relationships with their professors, but none expressed a
strong relationship with any professor or other faculty members. One reason for this
could be that student-athletes at UAAP universities often have a considerable amount of
assistance from their respective athletic department’s personnel. The participants in this
study were of no exception. Several subjects had their classes scheduled for them by
athletic-academic coordinators, team managers, and/or student managers. Their class
performances were also evaluated regularly for eligibility reasons by the same parties
mentioned above, and additional assistance (such as tutors, learning material and areas)
were provided for by the athletic departments for student-athletes who are academically
motivated. Most also noted that they got additional support from team mates and
classmates when it came to keeping up with lessons and home work.

3.3 Perceptual Dimension

In previous research about international student-athletes in the United States, the

foreign athletes often came to America not knowing what to expect and sometimes being
misled about what their scholarship entailed, what was expected of them academically,
and what sort of environment they would be entering on campus (Bale, 1987; 1991).
However, much has changed in international recruitment since the time of Bale’s work.
Ridinger and Pastore (2000) postulated that accurate expectations of what international
student-athletes can expect will greatly enhance their ability to adjust.

25
3.3.1 Realistic Expectations: Influence of Friends from Home and the Love of Basketball

In several cases, the participants knew ahead of time that several of their future team
mates were internationals, which proved to be a major influence on their perception of
the situation. In fact, reassurance provided by others who had made a successful
transition to the Philippine college system may have been the most salient factor for the
majority of participants in the study. All of the participants were encouraged by either a
coach, friend, or family member who had previous experience and/or interaction with
Philippine college schools to study and play in the Philippines. The common theme
among these migrant athletes was if others could make a successful transition, they could
as well. Only one of the participants interviewed had knowledge about the Philippines
before considering the option to study in the country. Most of the participants based their
decisions to come to the Philippines on conversations with other student-athletes from
Africa. Respondent B shared, “All I knew was that it was a poor country here, that’s all I
knew pretty much. I didn’t know anything about NU at all! I just trusted my friend and
my coach.”

For the international athletes, the perception of attending a Philippine college on an

athletic scholarship seemed to have great ego appeal. All of the international athletes in
this study are African basketball players. They have come to know, through their friends
and coaches, that the Philippines is a basketball loving country – a stark contrast to their
home nations, where football is best loved. Athletic scholarships for basketball teams in
Africa do not come as often as football scholarships, keeping basketball players looking
for educational opportunities outside familiar territory. Aside from academic
scholarships, Coach Carriaso believes that African basketball players are enticed by the
level of competition basketball is played at in the Philippines. If the athletes are looking
to improve their game, most likely to earn a professional career in the sport, while
studying, the Philippines is a choice country to consider. He shares, “in Africa, if you’re a
basketball player, your skills will never be that big because it’s a football country. So, we
invite them to have their skill honed here, they learn a lot here because the Philippines is
a basketball country.”

26
 Five out of the eight ballers in this study were offered scholarship opportunities in the
States, another country filled with educational and career opportunities for basketball
players; but problems with paperwork led them to the Philippines. The comments of the
athletes below show how much the Philippine’s love for basketball influenced their
decision in coming here:

a) Respondent H:

Researcher: What was your motivation to come here?

Subject: “Basketball! The love of the game… You know, when you’re very young, you
only think about playing. So, I just got here because people told me basketball is a really
big deal here.”

b) Respondent B:

“I didn’t know about the scholarship in NU, but my friend who was already here in the
Philippines, told my coach that a school here was looking for basketball players to
recruit. So, my coach asked me if I wanted to come, and I said yes. I really wanted to
come to the Philippines for basketball… I had some friends in the Philippines already so
I knew it was gonna be okay.”

c) Respondent D:

“So, you know, I was supposed to go to the States, but a lot of things happened. So, he
told me, ‘You know, you can still go to the Philippines, study and still play ball’. So, he
got me in touch with this guy. Actually, I won’t lie to you, I didn’t know about the
Philippines. I had no idea where I was going. They just said, ‘Okay, it’s a great country,
and if you still wanna play basketball, that would be a great idea.’ So basically, I was
just like, ‘Okay, let’s see what’s gonna happen.’ But I had no idea of the Philippines.”

d) Respondent A:

“Well, I was actually supposed to go to the States in 2011, but I had a friend from EAC
who told me to come to the Philippines. I chose the Philippines because I get an
allowance here, hahaha!

27
I heard basketball here is really physical. And it is. I wanted to know how to play
physical, it will teach me a different style. It will give me another advantage. Basketball
here is really physical and it’s fast. I was excited to play against shorter guys too.”

e) Respondent F:

“I got to learn about (scholarship opportunities) from a friend of mine who lives in the
States. He hosts basketball camps back at home. So, during his camps, he picked me up,
so he asked me if I would be interested in going to study outside. So, I said, ‘Where?’ He
said, ‘the Philippines’, so I had to look better because I have never been to the
Philippines before. So, I said, yeah, that I would like to. I wanted to get my education and
get to play, so…

Basketball in Nigeria was uh, not really like it is here. So, you don’t get most support as
you want, they (family) only want you to do the school and be successful. So, when I told
my mom this is what I wanna do, she said, ‘Okay, just make sure you do the school.’ So,
when I got the chance of coming here she was quite happy… I would say she’s proud of
me. Like getting to achieve something like going to school through basketball… so yeah,
she’s quite proud of me.”

f) Respondent C:

“One of my coaches back home knows a coach here in FEU, Coach Ryan. So, they talked
a little bit… and so yeah, he talked to me to ask if I would like to go to the Philippines,
because I was having a problem getting a student visa going back (to the States). So, I
was like, alright, I’m just gonna take whatever it is. I’m just gonna play and go to school.

g) Respondent E:

“Actually, Philippines wasn’t my first option, it was like, I got interested when I found
out that they love basketball here. I wanted to have experience in basketball and said,
‘why not try there? Because it’s a basketball country. So why not try and play and have
fun?”

h) Respondent G:

28
“It’s my good friend who was here already in the Philippines, before me, who proposed
me to come in the Philippines. He’s playing in the NBA D-League right now. But he
played here before, in Lyceum. He played NCAA. And he’s the one who contacted me
since (I was in) Cameroun like, ‘Hey, you should come here, there is a lot of
opportunity.’ And I take a chance.

Once they arrived here, the athletes had very little trouble registering for classes,
picking up course materials, finding living arrangements and other potential obstacles for
international students trying to adjust to attending a new university. The school athletics
department was primarily responsible for making this happen, which no doubt aided in
the adjustment process.

Many of the subjects were heavily reliant on their peers for information, trusting that
their experiences would be similar to the former international student-athletes’ in the
Filipino collegiate leagues. A few unexpected rule changes in the UAAP were enforced
since their arrival in the Philippines, which left them and their fellow internationals at the
very least, confused. The love of basketball and the educational and athletic opportunities
that they have been expecting to benefit from in the league seemed to have kept them
comfortable enough.

3.3.1 Institutional Practices

Nearly half of the athletes interviewed were not aware of the scope of the UAAP and its
rules governing college athletics, more specifically on the two-year residency rule for
foreigners, before their sojourn to the Philippines. Upon knowing, this initially caused
confusion and then eventually demotivated athletes to practice.

3.3.1.2 UAAP’s Two-Year Residency Rule

After interviewing two UAAP coaches about recruitment procedures, the researcher has
found that recruitment protocol requires the coaching staff to inform prospective athletes
of the two-year residency rule during the recruitment process. Please note that both the
coaches interviewed from this study are employed by National University. Some schools

29
may be more lenient with recruitment procedures, an issue that the UAAP board may
have to observe and regulate.

Coach Patrick Henry Aquino of National University’s Women’s Basketball team states,

“(During recruitment) We have to explain to them that they will be serving at least two
years of residency before they can play. And so, as far as we (National University)
recruit, we try to recruit like what we did to Tiky (Edimo). Tiky came here as a high
school student; so, when the day comes that she graduates from high-school, she will
already be fit to play (at the UAAP).”

Coach Vic Carriaso, also from National University, coaching on the Men’s Basketball
team echoes Coach Aquino’s statement,

“Yeah, we have to be honest. When we recruit, we have to tell them that they have to
serve the two-year residency.”

Despite this, almost half of the pool of international student-athletes interviewed for
this study were unaware of the two-year residency rule before making the trip to Manila.

In 2014, Senator Pia Cayetano passed Senate Bill No. 2226, also known as the Student-
Athletes Protection Act. The bill was drafted amid an uproar over the controversial
UAAP residency rule where high school graduates moving to a different university were
forced to sit out two years before being able to play in the league (Terrado, 2014). In her
speech at the plenary, Cayetano, who was critical of the UAAP residency rule, expressed,
“Athletes thrive during competition. And to deprive an athlete of this, to bench them for a
significant period, could be damaging to their physical development as well as their
emotional and mental state.” She has even gone as far as calling the experiences lived by
the student-athletes during the two-year residency as “traumatic”.

30
Figure 5. SEC. 6. Student-Athletes’ Residency
From: Sixteenth Congress of the Republic of the Philippines S.B. No. 2226 (2014)
Santiago, Cayetano, Villar, and Members of the Committees on Education, Arts, and Culture; and Games,
Amusement and Sports. (2014) Student-Athletes Protection Act. Section 6. Retrieved January 2017.

It is important to note that although the Student-Athlete Protection Act prohibited

university leagues to impose a residency rule on high school transferees, a maximum
period of one year may be imposed for tertiary students. There was no section which
mentioned the international student-athletes’ two-year residency rule. Some of the
international student-athletes from this study were also subject to “traumatic experiences”
during their two-year residency. Respondent C shares,

“One year is not bad, but two years is like… Seriously? Babies grow in two years. I left
Nigeria and my sister’s kid is all grown up after two years, and I’m still in residency!

I’m telling you, you don’t know what we go through in residency, we go through hell. It’s
like no one takes you seriously. When you say you need this, they don’t even listen to you,
they don’t even care. But when it’s your year to play – that’s when they start seeing you.
It’s really not okay, man.

If you play for a school like La Salle, it’s okay; take your years and do whatever you
want to do. They take care of you. It depends on the school, if you can enjoy your
residency. It’s like you’re on the team but you’re not there. Like, they go (to) team
building and they don’t even take you cause you’re serving residency. Like, is it your
fault that you’re in residency? They don’t take you anywhere, you just stay there. So… so
it’s just… weird.”

31
 On an athletic level, it seems that the rule has also been detrimental to progress.
Respondent A says,

“First thing – basketball? Forget about it. You gotta pass through residency which is two
years. What are you gonna do in two years? You can’t do anything.”

Respondent D shares the same sentiment. He says,

“It’s hard for you if you really want to reach a higher level; and by making you sit out
two years of playing time, your level might go down. I don’t think that would be a good
thing.”

Despite the lull in their basketball careers, the international student-athletes were able to
stay busy and enjoy their time at university. Respondent F shares that he, too, was
disappointed upon knowing that he would have to wait two years before he can play at
the UAAP, but he found that his time was still put to good use.

“I got to know about it (residency rule) here. But my focus wasn’t about playing, it was
about studying. That’s why I was able to stay cause I know we can’t play basketball
forever.

Yeah, at first I was like, “Oh man” I mean, even if I was sitting out residency, I still got
to play. So, it’s not about where you’re playing or what stage you’re playing at. It’s
about me getting into class, going to school, AND still getting to play. So, that was my
purpose.”

3.3.2.2 The one-foreigner per team rule and the gradual banning of foreign athletes from
the UAAP

In 2014, the UAAP passed a proposal to start a gradual ban on all foreign athletes from
playing in the country’s top collegiate sports league. In 2015, its 78th season, it started the
process by limiting teams to one import each and encouraging the universities to stop
recruitment altogether by school year 2015-2016. All those who were recruited prior and
have or are serving residency will be allowed to play their remaining eligible years, but in
a few seasons time, once they’re all done with their college careers, the UAAP will be

32
foreign athlete free (Ganglani, 2014). The UAAP has claimed that it is promoting “local
development” within the league as they see that foreign players limit slots and hinder
development for local players. Despite the board’s belief, statistics published by Rappler
in 2014 say that 90% of all the playing athletes in UAAP basketball are Filipino.

The one-foreigner per team rule has already affected a number of foreign athletes who
were recruited years before the new rule was implemented. Having to sit out two years of
residency they are also now unable to play until their senior counterpart graduates. If you
were recruited in 2013 (one year before the ban proposal was passed), you will be
expected to serve the two-year residency before being eligible to play in 2015. Assuming
that you are enrolled in a four-year program, you will have two years left to finish your
degree and play in the league. But, if your team recruited two foreigners in 2013, by
2015, one of you will be allowed to play and the other will have to wait until the first
foreigner graduates before getting playing time. By the time the playing athlete reaches
his graduation year, the benched foreigner would have finished his studies as well,
without seeing a minute in competition.

It is situations like this that have forced foreign athletes to leave the country in search
of opportunities to play elsewhere. An international student enrolled in Ateneo De Manila
high school who expected to compete in UAAP’s season 78, (S.Y. 2015-2016) left the
country after the one-foreigner per team rule was imposed. After serving two years of
residency in high school, he then had to wait for his older foreign team mate, Respondent
F, to finish three playing years before suiting up for Ateneo’s college basketball team. He
relocated to Spain.

All, but one participant (Respondent G), in this study have already been able to play for
their universities. They were either lined up before the rule was imposed in 2015, or they
are their team’s current foreign pick. The responsibility they carry and the activities lined
up for them, despite the new rule and gradual banning, have given them a sense of
purpose and direction which aided greatly to their successful adjustment. Although they
have successfully adjusted to their environment, they feel disappointment for their team
mates and fellow foreign internationals who are affected by the rule. Respondent H
shares,

33
“It’s a little bit sad for the people that were sitting already, that already had a, you know,
served their two-year residency, even one-year residency. When you’re about to play and
you just hear the news that you cannot because of uh, how I call it, “a random rule”. But
then again, it’s a rule, you’re not the one making the rules, you just have to follow them.
It’s just a bit sad because all of us love that sport, and when you feel like you cannot
express yourself by playing the sport you love because of those types of rules, it makes
things you know, a bit sad.”

When asked about their opinions on the ban, many of the internationals showed
apparent hurt and helplessness. In season 77, moments after receiving the Finals MVP
award, Alfred Aroga told the Rappler, “…no matter what I say, no matter what I’m going
to do, it has no impact. Why? Cause I’m a foreigner. We just have to follow the rules of
the country and the UAAP. They want to ban foreigners, then it’s the decision. But I feel
a bit bad because we’re not just basketball players, we’re students too.”

A number of the subjects in this study echoed his statement. Upon asking them about
how they felt when the ban proposal was released, here’s what some had to say:

a) Respondent D

“It kinda sounds racist. It’s like saying, we don’t want you here anymore. That’s
basically what it is. Uh, you know, if it’s really what they want, then we cannot do
anything about it. Like I said, that’s the rules and regulations. If you look in the
States, they have players from all over the world. They don’t really care about where
you from; as long as you good, you wanna go to college, then you can play. It’s just a
sport after all. By cutting them off it’s like saying, “we don’t wanna give scholarships
anymore”. And that’s a way to give back to the world, giving scholarships, helping
other people. By cutting them off, I don’t think it’s a good thing.”

b) Respondent A

34
 “I just feel so bad because we’re helping them to play good. Now they have that
challenge. But whatever, it’s the league’s decision and I can’t do anything about it,
like I said.

c) Respondent F

“I’ve been hearing that for a while but, I was wondering why they see it that way. I
mean people just want to study and I feel that the Philippines has the chance to give
people the opportunity to go to school, but they see it as uh… I don’t know. Like, they
shouldn’t see it as just giving a chance to someone to play basketball; they should see
it as impacting other people’s lives in a special way. But, banning players doesn’t
mean they won’t go on with their lives, I mean it’s okay, we all get disappointments. I
see a lot of players leave here and they’ve moved on and they’re doing quite fine on
the other side.”

Although the subjects in this study have adjusted to their new environment
successfully, some have little faith that basketball players from back home would be able
to find a welcoming environment in the UAAP. When asked if they would encourage
their friends from back home to pursue an education in a UAAP school, one dismissively
said, “No. A BIG no.” Two others have suggested for their friends to find an education in
the States instead; explaining, “Because there’s so much drama here in basketball. You’re
never sure of anything. There’s new rules all the time. You can come up here, and then
the next year no more foreign… There’s many changes here.” In fact, every year, one of
the eight participating schools hosts the league. Every year, there’s a new commissioner,
and almost every year, rules and regulations are altered (Ganglani, 2014).

Some international students remain hopeful that the UAAP will see the effects of the ban
from their perspective. Respondent F shares,

“For the UAAP, they need to give people the chance because you can never tell. You can
never tell who’s going to be someone tomorrow. It’s not all about basketball. It’s about,
like I said, impacting other people’s lives. Like I know a lot of players who came here

35
and didn’t know English, but they go to school here and they LEARN. So, that’s one thing
that’s special.”

3.3.3 Family Influence

A key antecedent component missing from the Ridinger and Pastore (2000) model was
the influence of family on adjustment (Popp, Love, Kim, Hums, 2010). Several
researchers have noted the importance of family-like support from host nationals in
successful acculturation of international students (Chapdelane & Alexitch, 2004; Crano
& Crano, 1993) and some investigators have found that contact with extended family
members is one of the greatest concerns for international students (Parr, Bradley, &
Bingi, 1992). The impact of family influence regarding the decision to study abroad,
however, was not discussed in any of the aforementioned studies. Several participants in
this study cited family influence as the most pervasive factor in their adjustment to
college. Respondent C, coming from a broken family explained that he looks to his mom
for strength during tough times while studying abroad. He has expressed his willingness
to care for her as his two older siblings have families of their own, and his father has been
absent for quite some time. Participants said their parents raised them to be responsible,
independent, and hard working. Most African parents encourage their children to take
pride in earning their own keep and creating their own path. Some of the participants
have even said that while they were nearing legal age, they felt frustrated that they still
lived under their parents’ roofs. They took the opportunity to play basketball and earn a
scholarship abroad to proudly show their parents that they are as capable as they were
raised to be. Respondent E, a Cameroonian from Adamson University shares,

“I miss home, I miss my family all the time. I miss everything! You know, things are
different but sometimes you have to grow up. You have to, if you wanna be a man, you
have to challenge yourself. You know, stay away from your family, try to have your own
life, try to be mature enough. When I stay with my family, I feel like I was so baby that
time. You know, everything I wanted – my parents, my mom, my dad, they always give it
to me. So, I was like, ‘Okay I need to grow up. I’m like a baby here all the time.”

36
 Many also said that their parents placed a heavy emphasis on academic achievement,
which the students credited as playing a role in their work as university students. This
point was illustrated by another Cameroonian, Respondent A, who stated, “But the one
who made me care about school is my dad, I wanted to graduate for my dad.” He has
finished his undergraduate degree in business management and his UAAP playing years,
and is currently taking his master’s in business administration.

3.4 Cultural Distance

Ridinger and Pastore (2000a) suggested cultural distance as another adjustment

antecedent. They defined cultural distance as “the degree of incongruence between the
campus culture and the culture of the student athlete’s home town” (p. 14) and posited
“the more distant or different the home and host culture are, the more time and effort it
will take for the sojourner to adjust” (p. 15).

The primary factor that made it challenging to adjust to their new environment, besides
language, was food. Filipino meals usually consist of rice. The African participants
expressed a bit of frustration with the lack of food choices in their new environment.
Respondent F says “Ah, back at home we don’t eat rice the way you guys eat rice over
here. We eat rice like maybe once a week? But here, it’s like everyday.” Some have also
had a difficult time adjusting to the sweetness of our dishes in comparison to the usually
salty flavor of their meals from back home. Respondent H shared that for the first few
weeks, he only chose to eat canned sardines and tuna. At the time, he was still playing for
STI, a non-UAAP school. His coach had to hire a personal chef to help him adjust as he
just couldn’t stomach Filipino food. After some courage and time, he began to develop a
liking for Filipino food and now calls himself a big fan of adobong manok. Other
students have learned to cook during their stay here and have found that cooking for
themselves have helped greatly. Respondent E shares,

“It’s easy for me to go to the supermarket and buy some stuff to cook some food of my
place. It’s too easy to find those ingredients (here.) And I think it’s cheap here! In France
for example, this kind of tomato, it’s very expensive and it’s not that easy (to find). You

37
have to go to an African market to find a stand of stuff. So, I think about the food, the
only difference here I think is some food are very sweet.”

Most of the participants suggested that their home cultures were different from Filipino
culture in many ways. All, but one, felt welcome in their teams regardless of their
ethnicity, religion, gender, and/or color. Respondent B shared that she felt out of place
within her team, not because she was foreign, but because of her sexual orientation. She
shares,

“Most of my team mates are lesbians. My managers tell me to be together with my team
mates but me and Tiky (a team mate who is also African) … We try, but it’s hard to hang
out with them because they talk about different things, because they go through different
things that I just can’t relate to.”

Many of the participants have felt surprised about the Filipinos’ acceptance towards
their homosexual and transgender fellows. In some parts of Africa, as shared by some of
the participants, people who deal with gender dysphoria cannot openly express their
sexuality. In fact, South Africa is the only country of the 56 African nations where same-
sex relationships are legally recognized. Most African countries also restrict freedom of
assembly, association, and expression of homosexuality. Homosexuality is illegal in most
African nations based on remnants of sodomy laws introduced during the British colonial
era and perpetrated by cultural beliefs (Rappay, Karikari-apau, 2014). Although it may be
one factor that contributes to culture shock, many of the participants have learned to live
amicably with those of different orientation. Respondent C shares, “I have gay friends too
but I set boundaries… I don’t have any problems because it’s the culture here and I can’t
change it.”

Besides Respondent B, most of the participants made strong, healthy relationships with
their team mates. Most of them felt that although they were foreign, they were treated
with kindness and acceptance. There was a case with Respondent A who felt that his
team mates did not agree with his promotion to team captain because he was a foreigner.
Though after this incident, he was still able to develop close friendships with some of his
team mates that have been kept even after his graduation.

38
 A lot of the athletes felt safe within the circle of their team but outside its boundaries,
there have been some instances that reminded them just how far away from home they
are. Respondent D shares, “…the things I’ve had a different time adjusting to here are,
I’ll say, uh… That might be funny but, one thing is being called “idol”, things like that.
That was pretty funny. Like going to the mall and being looked at by everyone. I was like
you know, you felt different from the people.” The internationals, who are all of apparent
African descent have felt the weight of stares and constant questioning of curios
Filipinos. Respondent G thinks that, “People are too much curious here, people ask too
much.” Respondent A also shared, “I wish people had respect cause you walk on the
street and people you don’t know call me, “Hey Joe! Like, what?” Most of the
internationals are tolerable with these behavior. Some have also taken the time to correct
their classmates and friends on how to properly address them. Respondent G took offense
when the word “negro” was used in class. He shared,

“Yeah, like last time, in the class, my classmate was making a report and he said
“negro”. I was offended, I stopped his report. I said, “Please, don’t say negro. That was
before – we have to stop that kind of words, because we fight against racist people. As
you call me negro, I will call you negro. Because you don’t know even the story of your
Philippines. The first people were black in the Philippines. You know that?” He said
“no”, he don’t know. So I said, “Shut your mouth if you don’t want to say something or
hurt somebody else.”

Despite the differences in culture, all the participants say that they’ve adjusted well to
Filipino culture. The Filipino’s friendliness, hospitality, and love of basketball played a
big part in allowing the international student-athletes to feel a positive connection with
their new environment. When asked about what they loved about Filipino culture, one
participant said, “Oh, they take care of people. They know how to care.” Respondent H,
who has stayed in the Philippines for 6 years, shares,

“They’re friendly. Like, super friendly! Like, you know, the thing I like the most here is
anytime of the day, you go out, you see people bonding. You gonna see people on the side
of the streets, talking to each other, sharing a drink. You know, it’s really warm here. You

39
 feel that people are alive. Back home it’s not really like that, by 7pm everybody’s home
sleeping already.”

Respondent D echoed his sentiment by saying, “You know sometimes in my country,

people don’t really say hi to you, they just pass by, but here it’s like, “Hi, hi, hi, hi!” As
concluded under the interpersonal dimension, many of the international student-athletes
have developed close relationships with their Filipino classmates, coaches, and team
mates, all who have reflected the Filipinos’ famous hospitality and kindness.

The international student-athletes have also felt a strong connection to the Filipino
people because of their shared love of basketball. A student from Adamson observes,
“You cannot walk in the street without seeing (a) basketball court. You can really see the
Filipino love basketball.”

4.0 Conclusion

Results from the study have shown that the international student-athletes in seven out of the
eight UAAP universities represented have found success in the athletic field. Most of the
participants in this study have been selected to represent their universities at the UAAP games,
have played vital roles as their team’s centers, and have contributed to their teams’ ranking
improvement and success. Some athletes have also had repeat-championships and individual
awards under their belt. In contrast to their athletic performance, although seven out of eight of
the international student-athletes have passed the grade point average required of them to be
eligible to play at the UAAP games, only a number of them have reached a GPA significantly
higher than the passing mark. Interestingly, Respondents D and F, who have made an effort to
build relationships with faculty members and athletic department staff have the higher academic
marks. Comeaux, and Comeaux and Harrison (2007) noted that the nature and content of faculty
to student-athlete communication mattered. As an example, among male revenue sport student-
athletes, Comeaux found “…faculty who provided help in achieving professional goals (made) a
relatively strong contribution to student success whereas faculty who provided encouragement
for graduate school did not…” Specific to student-athletes, Crawford (2007) noted that like their
non-athlete peers, the level of student-athlete purposeful involvement in campus life and
associations with faculty and peers enhanced their academic experiences. According to

40
Crawford, student-athletes acknowledged that positive associations (with faculty and peers) were
instrumental in enhancing both their academic and athletic experiences.

Athletic Achievements

UAAP Individual
Interviewee Ranking
Season Awards

Respondent A 5th 77

Respondent B Champion 77, 78, 79

Respondent C Champion 78

Respondent D Champion 79 Season MVP

Respondent E Semi-finalist 79

Respondent F Finalist 79

Respondent G N/A N/A

Respondent H Champion 77

Figure 6. Athletic Achievements

From: Alejandrino (2016)
Alejandrino, A. (2016) International Student-Athletes in the UAAP: Cross-Cultural Adjustment and its Relations to
Athletic and Academic Performance.

Similar to Popp, Love, Kim and Hums’ respondents, the respondents in this study have not
expressed strong relationships with their professors and other faculty members. The relationships
with professors may be limited because the athletes get a lot of support from their athletic
departments regarding class scheduling, grade reviewing, and academic material
supplementation. Other reasons such as differences in learning style (Ladd and Ruby, 1999), a
higher rate of classroom absenteeism due to athletic commitments, or intentions to return to their
home nations after school may also be factors as to why the desire to develop long-term
relationships with professors are lessened.

Tinto (1993) put forward a theory of retention for student-athletes that suggests that success is
realized when a compatible relationship exist between the university’s institutional goals and the

41
student’s aspirations. For this pool of international student-athletes, many of them were
motivated to enroll in a UAAP university mainly for the opportunity to widen their knowledge
and gain experience in the game of basketball. When asked what (career) they plan to pursue
after college, the majority of them have expressed the desire to play professional basketball
and/or coach. This may be why all the respondents have expressed strong relationships with their
coaches in contrast to the relationships they have with their professors. When asked if he sees the
relationship with his coach as more important to his adjustment than his professors, Respondent
H says, yes, “because we have a common goal.” This seems to be the case with most of the
respondents. Also, a number of these student-athletes are enrolled in courses that they did not
choose for themselves, because of team demands and practice schedules, some athletes were
encouraged to take up courses with a lighter load. This may also be why the desire to consult
professors are weakened. Regardless of whether faculty members have been a strong influence
on their adjustment or not, all the athletes are satisfied with their academic performances as they
have continuously been receiving the required GPA for them to be deemed eligible to play.

Because of recent developments in the league such as: 1) the two-year residency rule; 2) the
limiting of foreign players to one-player per team; and 3) the gradual ban of international
student-athletes from the league, many of the subjects have felt that they’ve missed opportunities
to progress athletically. Before coming to the country to play, many of the student-athletes had
no knowledge about the two-year residency rule. Recruiting is a crucial part of an international
student-athlete’s adjustment to their new environment as it sets the standard of expectations that
the internationals may have of their university and/or the league. Proper recruitment process
should also disclose what the universities and/or league will expect the student-athletes to
deliver, such as the two-year residency, before being given a scholarship. If the UAAP and its
universities wish to have their recruits perform at their best, they must ease the transitioning of
their international student-athlete’s recruits and regulate the recruitment process.

Although a number of athletes had negative experiences during their two-year service, the
internationals who had coaches keeping them busy with games and tournaments outside the
UAAP were kept motivated. The athletes’ motivation levels are greatly dependent on the
coaches. When the athletes see that their coaches are genuinely interested in their athletic
progress, even during the residency, they feel valued which results in a coachable attitude.

42
During their service of the two-year residency, coaches of internationals may want to look at
options for competition and skill development for their recruits to keep them motivated. Further
study on the residency rule and its developmental effects, specifically on international student-
athletes is encouraged.

The limiting of one-foreigner per team rule, that was initiated in Season 78, kept many recruits’
UAAP debuts on hold, which have frustrated them enough to look for collegiate opportunities in
basketball outside the country, lowering the international students-athletes’ retention rates in the
UAAP universities. The subjects interviewed in this study have adjusted well to college life in
because technically, as their teams’ first international picks, they were unaffected by the rule.
This seems to be a major factor as to why international student-athletes in the UAAP choose to
discontinue their education in the Philippines. This may be favorable to the league as they are
moving towards a complete ban of international student-athletes, but detrimental to the personal
and educational growth of the individuals, as garnering an education and a degree will come with
additional challenges. The social and economic effects of the ban within the league are yet to be
known, but the league believes that by banning internationals from the league, local talent will be
further developed.

Despite the differences in culture, all the participants say that they’ve adjusted well to Filipino
culture. The Filipino’s friendliness, hospitality, and love of basketball played a big part in
allowing the international student-athletes to feel a positive connection with their new
environment. After some time in the Philippines, most of the athletes feel that they have adjusted
well to Filipino culture. Eventually, they develop a taste for our food, understand and use
Filipino language and mannerisms to an extent, and develop friendships with their domestic
peers. Having an “instant” social circle through their sports teams, the internationals adjusted
quickly to college life with the help of their team mates. Fellow internationals from either back
home or elsewhere have often assured them that they can also find success and satisfaction in a
UAAP school. Coaches and staff from the athletic departments play vital roles to the athletes’
adjustments as much of their athletic and academic performance are dependent on their guidance.

Overall, this research shows that international student-athletes in the UAAP have successfully
adjusted to their college lives. All of the adjustment antecedents in Ridinger and Pastore’s model
has shown relevance to the successful adjustment for the internationals, except the subheading

43
faculty under the interpersonal dimension. The subheading institutional practices under the
perceptual dimension proved to be a major factor into the internationals’ retention and
adjustment. Although the ban is underway, international student-athletes are expected to stay
present until 2018-2020. The successful adjustment of international student-athletes are shown to
have a significant effect on team performance and student retention rate. Further study into the
recruitment process, the relationship and roles of faculty members to the internationals’
adjustment phase, persistency rates of international student-athletes, and the UAAP’s stand on
the ban and residency (and its possible effects to individuals and the league) may be beneficial as
the UAAP is considered the most prestigious collegiate league in the Philippines, a host nation to
many international students. As an association of universities, further study into these subjects
can help to not only provide an improved theoretical understanding of cross-cultural adjustment,
but also help university officials better support international students, (regardless of being
athletes or not) in succeeding academically, athletically, and more broadly as individuals.

44
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