Aggression in sports can be a complex issue and is obvious in the sports field. Depending on the context the term can be confusing and can have positive and negative implications. Many forms of aggression can be accepted and even promoted as part of play because aggression can be offensive behavior. However, in most sports this is unacceptable as it is not within the rules and could result in the infliction of pain and injury on others (Gill & Williams, 2008). This essay will consider the definition of aggression and reflect on the causes of aggression. It will also focus on the different types of aggression as the types of aggressive behavior fall into different categories: assertion and aggression, before further breaking down into instrumental aggression and hostile aggression. The essay will also focus on the definition of assertiveness and the key differences between aggression and assertiveness, as well as strategies that coaches and players can use to ensure that aggression remains in check. These similarities and differences will now be discussed with reference to the appropriate literature. Aggression can be simply defined as "any form of behavior directed at the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment" (Baron & Richardson). , 1994, p.7). According to (Gill & Williams, 2008) there are four components necessary for an aggressive act to be classified as aggression. Aggression is behavior that involves the intention to cause harm or injury to someone and is directed towards a living organism. Aggressive behavior can be physical, psychological or emotional through verbal or gestural acts on an individual (Duda, 1998). Therefore, an intimidating player… middle of paper… and self-talk can be used to generate a more encouraging experience: avoiding negative thoughts and feelings, allowing the performer to imagine a situation, and avoiding difficult situations. . A coach can also encourage performers to channel their aggression and encourage performance goals rather than outcome goals. This will help reduce rising arousal levels and avoid aggressive situations (Jones, 2003). To conclude, it is evident that aggression in sport cannot always be clearly distinguished and for this reason there is an underlying philosophy on what is acceptable within assertive behavior and what can be considered unacceptable in instrumental aggressive behavior (Weinberg & Gould , 2012). It is also evident that aggression in sport can involve elements of both hostile and instrumental aggression, causing confusion (Anderson & Bushman, 2002).