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