Understanding experiences of frustration in adolescent athletes from 13 to 15 years of age in the city of Cartago - Colombia.

Sporting activities promotes several psychological and social benefits linked to relationships between athletes, competitors, coaches, parents and guardians. In this context, there are special unique moments in which athletes experience emotions linked to sporting success and failure, whose exposure weave strategies supported by social interrelationships are interwoven. This study aimed to understand experiences of frustration in adolescent athletes who practice individual and team sports. Twelve adolescent athletes from 13 to 15 years of age from the city of Cartago Valle del Cauca, in good performance projection according to the Municipal Secretary of Sports,  took part in this qualitative study. Under the qualitative method and phenomenological technique, a primary analysis of information was carried out through semi-structured interviews that sought to evaluate the performance environment and bilateral interaction within the framework of Urie Bonfrenbenner's systems theory. It was shown that exposure to situations of frustration and success facilitate the daily elaboration of better coping strategies and assimilation of emotions. Sport activities encourage situations and emotional links with their immediate environment that provide tools and coping strategies to face of failure, mobilize feelings and thoughts to allow coping with disappointment in a positive way, promoting the achievement of better sports outcomes.