About Chapter 4
Sport participation places both physical and psychological demands on athletes. From youth leagues to the professional level, athletes encounter the stresses that arise from competing head-on with others in activities that are important to the athletes and others, such as parents, coaches, and peers. Some athletes learn to cope successfully with these stresses, and for them sports are enjoyable and challenging. Others who are unable to cope find sport participation to be a threatening and unpleasant experience.
