VOA慢速英语--网球改变了华盛顿年轻人的生活

Tennis Changes Lives of Young People in Washington

Andrea Nichelson likes to play tennis after a day at school. She is only 10 years old, but she has been playing the sport for five years, and she loves it.

"The one thing I like most about tennis is the game. It just really gets my attention [more] than anything I do. It just brings up the fire in me."

Andrea lives in Washington, D.C. She is one of around 900 children who use the free services of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation¹.

The Foundation was set up in 1955. It gives children from eight to 18-years-old a chance to play tennis, and learn school-related and other skills. By combining sports and education, the group helps young people keep physically² active and continue working on their studies.

Skills and sense of belonging

The Washington Tennis and Education Foundation has two programs. In one, tennis coaches go to schools around the city, and teach the game to students there. In the other program, children go to the group's tennis center to learn the game on indoor courts. Teachers also help them with homework from school, design robots and play games like chess.

Audra Bell works⁴ with the Foundation. She says the lives of children change when they decide to join the program.

"They learn discipline and they learn mental toughness and all of the things that tennis teaches you as a whole, it's really amazing to see."

The group’s president, Rebecca Crouch-Pelham, agrees.

"You're on the court, you're playing singles, you're by yourself, you're relying on yourself."

She says that is the same strength and ability to react to change that the children need in the classroom.

Children in the program are successful in school. Crouch-Pelham says all children should have this kind of contact with sports and educational services. It gives them a sense of belonging to a community, she says. Children who have completed the program come back to help in the summer as coaches.

Coming back

Mike Ragland is one such graduate. He says joining the program at age 13 changed his life.

"I was doing things I shouldn't have been doing, got myself in a lot of trouble. When I started playing tennis, it gave me a different path to life."

Because of his skill on the court, Ragland went to college and received enough financial assistance⁵ to pay for all the college costs. He then launched⁶ a career as a tennis coach.

Coaches, in many cases, are like a parent for young players. They teach young players more than how to play tennis. Ragland explains that they teach the children good behavior.

"We take the kids in, we talk to the kids about life, how to carry themselves, how to behave and give them a structure, something that they can go forward with."

Coach Ragland visited 18-year-old Xavier Boone's school 8 years ago to get young children interested in playing the sport. Boone says the program helped him learn much about tennis and life.

"It teaches you not to give up and it teaches you just to kind of push through life. Everyone here is doing very well in school, and that's just all thanks to the tutors⁷ and the teachers that we have here."

The Foundation’s coaches say a few of their kids go on to become tennis pros⁸. Others excel⁹ in other fields and receive full financial aid for college, while the rest - officials say - get a solid basis to help them succeed in whatever they do in life.

I’m Jill Robbins.

Words in This Story

coach - n. a person who teaches and trains a player or performer

court - n. a large flat surface that is used for playing games like tennis and basketball

discipline - n. the ability to keep working at something that is difficult

toughness - adj. strong and not easily broken or damaged

rely - v. to need (someone or something) for support or help; to depend on (someone or something)

pro³ - n. (short form of professional) someone who is paid to take part or play in a sport or activity

1 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

4 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

5 assistance   

n.援助，帮助

参考例句：

• She called and called but no one came to her assistance.她叫了又叫，但没有人来帮。
• He will get the great possible assistance.他将获得尽可能大的帮助。

6 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

7 tutors   

n.家庭教师( tutor的名词复数 )；导师；（大专院校的）助教；课本v.当家庭教师( tutor的第三人称单数 )；任大学导师；任课

参考例句：

• The students have submitted their essays to their tutors. 学生把论文递交给导师。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• To all appearances this was done out of respect for the tutors. 看上来全是尊师。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

8 pros   

abbr.prosecuting 起诉；prosecutor 起诉人；professionals 自由职业者；proscenium （舞台）前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 )；赞成的理由；抵偿物；交换物

参考例句：

• The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 excel   

v.胜过，优于，杰出，善于，擅长于

参考例句：

• If your talent combines with diligence,you can excel in your pursuit.如果你把天赋与勤奋结合起来，你所追求的事业便会出类拔萃。
• He is working hard to excel his predecessors.他正努力超越他的前任。