Voice Your Opinion: Change Is Needed in Youth Sports Everywhere you look, you see kids bouncing a basketball or waving a tennis racquet (网球拍)And these kids are getting younger and younger.In some countries,children can compete on basketball, baseball, and volleybal teams starting at age nine. _______(46) And swimming and gymnastics classes begin at age four, to prepare children for competition. It’s true that a few of these kids will develop intd highly skilled athletes and may even become members of the national Olympic teams. _____ (47 ) This emphasis on competition in sports is having serious negative effects. Children who get involved in competitive sports at a young age oOen grow tired of sport. Many parents pressure their kids to choose one sport and devota all their time to it.___________ (48) But 66 percent of the young athletes wanted to play more than onesport —for fun. Another problem is the pressure imposed by over-competitive parents and coaches. Children are not naturally competitive, In fact, a recent study by Paulo David found that most children don’t even understand the idea of competition until they are seven years old. ___________(49) The third, and biggest, problem for young athletes is the lack of time to do their homework, have fun, be with Mends — in short, time to be kids. When they are forced to spend every afternoon at sports practice, they often start to hate their chosen sport Researchers found that 70 percent of kids who take part in competitive sports before the age of twelve quit before they turn eighteen. _____ (50) Excessive competition takes away all the enjoyment. (47) A

A. survey found that 79 percent of parents of young athletes wanted their children to concentrate on one sport.

B. Many of them completely lose interest in sports.

C. Very young kids don’t know why their parents are pushing them so hard.

D. The youth soccer organization has teams for children as young as five.

E. Sports for children have two important purposes.

F. ut what about the others, the average kids?