Parents in Black neighborhoods and schools: parental involvement of Black male high-school student-athletes

This paper illuminates research highlighting the parental involvement of Black male high-school student-athletes. I use the Communities of Cultural Wealth framework, specifically utilizing familial, social, resistance, and navigational capital to understand the factors parents employed to support these adolescents’ academic and athletic achievements. This study utilized a multiple-case study methodology. I conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with the parents of these adolescents. Findings highlight how parents exposed their children to athletic and non-athletic activities. Parents lived in working and lower-middle-class neighborhoods and demonstrated navigational capital when choosing schools with rigorous curricula. They participated on school boards and contacted policymakers, advocating for school improvements. Parents demonstrated familial capital, encouraging athletic participation between friends, adolescent peers, and family. This study has implications for understanding how parental involvement supports the development of these student-athletes academic and athletic identity.