Sport is a big part of the lives of children and a lot of importance is placed (by the children themselves) upon their ability to perform well in the sporting arena. It is common to note that those children who cope well with competition are more likely to continue with and take more pleasure from sport. Competition is therefore a huge element when considering how a child responds to sport. Since there are often clear winners and losers in matches, children need to find ways of coping with success and, more importantly, perceived failures. Some are better at this than others.
This is why children should never be entered for a competition until there is a realistic chance of success, since losing (particularly if the competition is particularly