Training versus Competition: An in-depth Look at Sport Competence and Performance Levels

Sports are a very large and important part of today's society. They provide participants in all age and skill levels the opportunity to learn life skills that can be used both inside and outside of competition settings. Most consider sport skill to be more physical in nature, however it has been proven that a large amount of mental skill is needed in order to excel at all levels of competition. As athletes gain experience and see more success in their respective sport, it is important that they acquire and develop the necessary mental skills and learn how to appropriately handle the stresses that come with being a competitive athlete. Since each individual is different, the level of performance for each athlete can shift based on a specific event, scenario, or setting depending on the athlete's mindset. Therefore, it is safe to claim that athletes can potentially perform differently in training than they do during competition because of the specific psychological factors that affect self competence and performance levels in sport