A study was carried out to investigate the differences of psychological competitive abilities of athletes in kendo among junior high school students, senior high school students, and university students. The levels of these abilities for athletes in kendo, estimated by using the “Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological Competitive Abilities of Athletes (DIPCA.3)”test, were compared among a junior high school student group (n=126), a senior high school group (n=137), and a university group (n=138). Results: 1) The levels of “will to win, ”“confidence, ” “strategic planning, ” and “teamwork” in regard to psychological competitive abilities were significantly higher in the university group than in the junior high school (p<.05) and senior high school (p<.05)groups.2) The levels of “mental concentration and stability” in the senior high school group were significantly lower than in the junior high school (p<. O5) and university groups (p<.05). These results suggest that the experience of kendo and growth closely influence the psychological competitive abilities in kendo.
