... down in tears and talks about how he hated himself because he could never feel he was good enough. He's doing much better now, not stealing anymore, but he has a tough decision: Does he want to remain in that competitive environment?" If youth sports can have so much influence on the 10-year-old psyche, it can also disrupt the development ... 10, pretty much half quit by 11," says Ethan Machurat of Amesbury, Mass., who's now 13 and still plays soccer, baseball and basketball, and has taken up lacrosse. "A lot just skateboard and don't do anything else." Analysts disagree on what account...

• Word Count: 4179
• Approx Pages: 17
• Grade Level: High School