Many children who are actively involved in sport seek to have fun and secure a sense of belonging with their peers. Young people in a community are able to make new friends in an exciting and enjoyable atmosphere, whilst improving their skills and enjoying an active lifestyle. Children have a need to feel wanted and appreciated by others, whether it be a teammate, coach, friend or family member. A positive atmosphere is necessary for a child to have a successful experience in a sport or activity. Without all of these attributes a child may feel neglected and believe they have little or no value to a team. Over time, children abandon an activity because there is no enthusiasm left in the sport. This is because sports now focus on competing and winning rather than enjoying an activity. "[During] childhood, boys overwhelmingly identify athletic ability as a determinant of social status among their peers, while girls tend to focus on appearance for peer acceptance." (Adler, Kless, & Adler, 1992, p.170) Sport then becomes more stressful and uninteresting for young people, as there is now pressure to be the best. Young people find it easier to give up on a sport than to try. The negativity that a sports project can cause a child to never resume participating in other dynamic activities, children will feel unsuccessful and incompetent in all other activities. Most children and youth drop out of active sports and recreational activities due to loss of enjoyment, lack of success, and/or excessive pressure from parents and coaches. When children are involved in organized sports where there is a loss of fun, winning and structure seems to be the biggest problem. Once the sport has rigid rules and... middle of paper... the child becomes overwhelmed and underestimated; a child cannot endure harsh criticism when learning new skills. When a child chooses a sport, he should be in a positive atmosphere, surrounded by support and encouragement, allowing him to set goals to achieve. A child who is burdened with the responsibility of maintaining painful, competitive, and unrealistic dreams views sports as a negative experience and consequently disconnects from physical activities. Children should be able to discover themselves in sport and physical activity, be able to develop social skills by having the ability to build relationships and learn to be part of a team. “Young athletes [should have] more input and control in decision making, thereby decreasing their sense of helplessness or perception of themselves.” (Brady, 2004, p. 37)