Perceived barriers to balancing sport and study among elite gaelic games student-athletes

Background: Elite Gaelic games student-athletes (EGSAs) in Ireland operate within an amateur yet high-performance sport system. Although training demands mirror professional environments, formalised institutional and sporting supports remain uneven, creating misalignment between environmental demands and individual adaptive resources. Objective: This study examined the most salient perceived barriers to dual-career sustainability among EGSAs and assessed the institutional, psychosocial, and demographic correlates of perceived strain. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 320 EGSAs across hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and ladies’ football was analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modelling. Three barrier dimensions were identified: Institutional, Time, and Geographical Constraints. Measurement models demonstrated satisfactory reliability and construct validity. Results: Institutional rigidity and temporal compression emerged as the most prominent perceived barriers. Across analyses, coping resources and perceived social support were consistently associated with lower levels of perceived strain. Structural modelling demonstrated good overall fit and highlighted the interaction between institutional demands and individual adaptive capacities. Geographical constraints played a secondary but contextually relevant role. Conclusions: Dual-career strain among EGSAs reflects the interaction between systemic institutional pressures and individual coping resources. Strengthening structured institutional supports alongside psychosocial resource development may enhance dual-career sustainability within higher education and Gaelic games.