What athletics bring us? A qualitative research based on John Mo’s thought of “the transfer value of athletics”–evidence from Chinese university graduates

As part of the last stage of education, university sports impact all aspects of students’ lives. However, while the value of athletics is not confined to the field, sports researchers have mostly focused on the educational value of athletics, and there is no comprehensive framework for the transfer value of athletics (TVA). As Tsinghua University is considered the flagship of Chinese university sports, this research aims to develop a comprehensive TVA framework by analyzing the memoirs of graduates from Tsinghua in “Tsinghua Sports Influenced My Life” using grounded theory technical approach. In the memoirs, most of the graduates mentioned that the educational value of sports had been transferred into their lives. The findings also demonstrate that the TVA framework consists of five dimensions: competencies, quality, health, personality, and behavior. Analyzing the TVA framework demonstrates that there are three steps for generating TVA: Students participate and enjoy sports, they develop physical literacy, and then transfer the physical literacy into their lives. The memoirs also demonstrate that the formation mechanisms of the TVA include: (1) School sports culture that enables students to establish a positive view of athletics; (2) sports clubs and competition systems that develop students’ physical literacy; and (3) physical educators and legitimate peripheral participation in the community that transfers physical literacy to daily life. This study reveals the value of university sports to students’ lives and provides guidance for universities to develop well-rounded individuals through sports.