Youth sports are adult organized and controlled athletic programs for young people in the 6-to-18-year-old age range. The participants are formally organized into teams and leagues, and practices and scheduled competitions are conducted under the supervision of an adult leader. They are an important part of our culture, and most children become involved at some point in the normal course of events.

Because of the potential role that sport participation can play in the physical and psychosocial development of children, there’s much to be said for parental guidance and support at even the first stage of involvement. They should take this responsibility seriously, for sports can be either a positive or a negative influence in the life of a child.

The question was addressed in a seminal chapter by pioneering social psychologist Carolyn W. Sherif (Sherif, 1976). The following themes were analyzed:

In summarizing a large body of research concerning the above points, Sherif concluded that “ordinarily, by about the age of six in our society, a child can and does compete” (1976). Prior to that age, children simply haven’t accumulated sufficient

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