After winning his eighth Olympic gold medal in Beijing, Michael Phelps reached across spectators to hug his mother. In that split second, Debbie Phelps became a celebrity among mothers of athletes. Her years of devotion to Michael's sport had created a swimming superstar.

Awestruck parents wondered if their child might become an Olympic hero. With dreams of gold, parents are enrolling youngsters in competitive sports at increasingly early ages. But young children seldom possess competitive sports knowledge.

Building Sports Knowledge

Parents enrolling a child in competitive sports must consider the youngster's age and cognitive development. At four or five, most kids enjoy kicking a ball around a field. The activity is healthy and develops coordination. Asking youngsters to turn ball kicking into a soccer game, however, presents problems. Children younger than six or seven rarely understand the rules of a game or the concept of competing. They just want to have fun.

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