Abstract

In the handball initiation, different elements are involved to train all the participant children, in order to develop their psychomotricity to solve different tasks that the game presents to them. For this, the competition is a space where the players can put into practice the learning they have developed. However, in Latin America, the structure and focus of the competition do not necessarily allow this to happen. From this perspective, the objective of this study is to understand how the pedagogical approach or the lack of it regarding competition impacts the learning processes of children who are beginners in handball in Latin America. Qualitative research with a phenomenological design was used. As inclusion criteria, the participants were required to be: a) physical education teachers; b) to be linked to the initiation stages of Handball; c) a minimum of 5 years of experience working in Latin America. As result, the value of competition to generate integration of learning in players and a progressive approach to game situations is highlighted. Therefore, it is concluded that any training action in the initiation to sport must be contextualized as a space rich in learning, so the competition must also be.