Abstract
This study explored the psychosocial experiences of high school learners on rugby scholarships. There is minimal research on the positive and negative effects of rugby scholarships on the lives of young men and how these learners are supported by the schools they represent. Questions were raised about whether the rugby scholarship programs at secondary schools facilitated the proper and necessary measures to accommodate learners from diverse language and socio-economic backgrounds, and often far from their homes. Working within an interpretive paradigm, qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews with five purposefully selected participants. The Students' Multiple Worlds Model (SMWM) was the theoretical framework underpinning the interpretation of the psychosocial experiences of the learners. The findings were obtained through thematic content analysis of the transcribed interviews, which were coded and analysed using ATLAS.ti software. Three themes emerged from the data analysis, namely, isolation, academic struggles, and gratitude. Isolation was portrayed through homesickness and feeling trapped on the campus; while the theme of learning struggles came from the limited language proficiency and the change in the level of education. Lastly, the theme of gratitude emerged as the learners were grateful for the opportunity they had been given not only to receive a better education but also to make friendships for life. Although these experiences shape their development they also have an emotional impact on the learners. These findings will contribute to the improved functioning of rugby scholarship programmes in high schools and will enhance the well-being of rugby scholarship recipients navigating between the worlds of rugby, school and home.
Keywords: Ecological systems theory, language barriers, psychosocial experiences, rugby scholarships, secondary schools, Students Multiple World's Model, qualitative research