Anne Josephson:
… Competition is neither good nor bad; it is we who make it one or the other. It is what we choose to focus on when talking about competition that alters the outcome positively or negatively for the kids who are competing. …
Where competition gets tricky is when we are too focused on winning and not sufficiently focused on the process. When we place greater emphasis on the result than we do on the road to get the result …
… competition can be destructive when a child believes that his or her value as a human being is tied to his or her ability to win. Parents who withhold affection if a child performs poorly or who lavish on praise and gifts if the child does well send the message that their child’s worth is from his or her performance. …
Gymnastics Coaching.com 