ABSTRACT
Drop-out is a major concern in youth sports. Classical studies (Gould et al., 1981; Ewing and Seefeldt, 1995) adopted empirical inventories of reasons to explain drop-out. Previous studies also estimated an incidence ranging from17-39per cent among youth Portuguese male basketball players. Most studies approach drop-out issues from a point of view extrinsic to the training process. The understanding of a complex behaviour such as discontinuing from sport, requires a biocultural approach and a follow-up design. Practices and competitions represent the sport experience for children and adolescents and a field of social comparison. Motor competence is easily assessed by adults and peers, both in practices and in games. The accuracy of this assessment, that needs to be translated as relevant information to the young player, depends upon the specific knowledge and the communication skills of significant others.
