Competition should not be eliminated, but it certainly requires change. Simply involving an athlete in a competitive sport does not automatically injure or affect the player. In order for athletes to experience the positive effects of competition, guidelines must be followed to dissuade them from absorbing the negative effects of competition. According to President Theodore Roosevelt, “Athletic ability is a very good servant and, like so many other good servants, a very bad master”; students should not “sacrifice their good academic standing to any excessive athleticism.” In addition to this advice, young athletes need wise adult coaches or guidance counselors who can teach self-control, valor despite loss, and humility in victory as well as defeat. In conclusion, the value of the impact of the competition can be positive or negative depending on the path of action followed by the athlete. The athlete's self-control and ethics ultimately decide the effect of