The concept of attention in sport is important because the inability to process the right kind and amount of information may lead to a mismatch in perception and consequent motor output. Research has shown that the ability to choose between relevant and irrelevant information increases dramatically at about 12 years of age. By giving up the irrelevant information, the processing of relevant information is increased. Styles of selective attention can be described on the basis of width (broad or narrow) and direction (internal or external). For example, in tennis, pregame strategy has a broad internal attention focus, while the execution of a shot has a narrow external focus. Factors relating to attentional capabilities include anxiety level, verbal and mental rehearsal, and reinforcement. Verbal and mental rehearsal can be effective in enhancing attention, especially when combined with reinforcement. (FG)