Prefácio

Participation in sports at the community level is a major feature of daily living for children and adolescents in many countries of the world. Structures of organized programs vary considerably, and sport offerings vary with cultural context.
Sport is also important in the primary business of children and adolescents, i.e., the business of growing, maturing and developing. Sport is a primary source of physical activity for many children and adolescents, and is an arena in which personal and inter-personal values and behaviors are developed and nurtured. And, key players in these important functions of sport are coaches and parents.
The present volume provides in depth discussions of youth sport from these two perspectives, i.e., youth sport in different cultures and as an important dimension of the daily lives of growing, maturing and developing children and adolescents. The first part highlights youth sport in the Portuguese cultural context. The second part focuses on youth sport as a part of development, i.e., the learning of culturally appropriate behaviors, motivations, and so on. It considers youth spott participants, coaches and parents, and includes data from Portugal, México, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. The third section considers youth sport in the contexts of growth and maturation, biológical processes that are central to discussions of training. In addition to several general discussions, two internationally popular youth sports are highlighted, soccer and swimming. The final section considers the risk of injury in youth sport in general, in the context of psychological factors, and then in the context of artistic gymnastics.
This volume is primarily for students of physical education and Sport Science, coaches, trainers and others involved in youth sport programs and IN the preparation of young athletes. The contents have application to in a variety of cultural contexts given the near universality of sport for youth throughout the world. Focus is on the youth sport participant or the young athlete as a child/adolescent with the needs of a child/adolescent. The demands of sport are superimposed on the biological and cultural demands of childhood and adolescence. All too often this is overlooked, especially at the more elite youth sport levels. The editors hope that the contributions which comprise this volume will serve to enhance the sport experiences of youth, minimize potential risks, and maximize potential benefits.

Manuel Coelho e Silva
Robert M. Malina