Personal development and athletic success: exploring the link and predictors of performance among basketball players

• DOI: 10.47197/retos.v66.112448
• Publication Date: 2025-03-12T12:27:31Z
• Authors: Raisalam Angoy; H. Amung Ma'mun; Agus Mahendra; Bambang Abduljabar; Buena Calunsag; Procopio Galendez...; Balme Diva; Joseph Gieward Layao

Introduction: Personal development goes beyond physical training and technical skills. However, the impact of life skills on athletic performance remains underexplored, indicating a need to examine how personal development contribute to athlete’s success. Objective: This study examined the relationship between personal development, specifically life skills, and performance and the key predictors of performance among varsity basketball players at Mindanao State University (MSU), Philippines. Methodology: A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 48 varsity players. Performance data were collected through notational analysis, while personal development was assessed using a standardized life skills questionnaire covering teamwork, goal-setting, social skills, problem-solving, emotional skills, leadership, time management, and communication. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses were applied. Results: The findings revealed that the players exhibited moderate personal development overall and majority have fair performance. A statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.967, p < 0.05) was identified between personal development and performance, with teamwork, emotional skills, leadership, and time management emerging as significant predictors of performance. Discussion: This highlights the importance of integrating structured life skills training into sports programs to foster well-rounded players. Such training not only enhances performance but also equips players with transferable skills for life beyond sports. Conclusions: Current sports environments lack full optimization of life skills, physical and technical skills, thereby calls a need for intervention. Future research should explore similar relationships across diverse sports and cultural contexts to generalize and expand these findings.