The new year is a time for resolutions — promises you make to yourself for the days ahead.

　　Adults usually resolve¹ to lose weight, exercise more or give up smoking.

　　Youths who play sports can make resolutions, too. Here are some to think about for 2008.

　　Spend more time playing sports and less time watching sports. Every weekend there are dozens of football and basketball games on television. It’s OK to watch one or two, but don’t forget to go outside and play, maybe throw a football around or shoot some baskets. That’s the way to stay healthy and become a better athlete. Don’t be one of those video-game kids who think that Backyard Baseball and Madden NFL football are actual sports.

　　Learn the history of the games you enjoy. For instance², if you love lacrosse, visit the Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame. You can see how the sport advanced from players wielding³ heavy sticks made from trees to the fast-moving, space-age game that’s so popular today.

　　Read a book about a great old-time player such as slugger Henry Aaron or running back Walter Payton. Not all of the great athletes are playing now. The stories of the games and players that your parents and grandparents watched are super-exciting. I love baseball history so much that I named my dog Matty after the great National League pitcher⁴ Christy “Matty” Mathewson, who won 373 games in the early 1900s.

　　Don’t complain about the referees⁵ and umpires. It’s easy to blame them if your team loses, but that won’t help you get better. This year, learn to accept the officials’ calls, good and bad, as part of the game. And remember to thank them afterward⁶. It’s not an easy job.

　　Try a new sport. Playing soccer, basketball or anything else year-round is one way to get hurt or become bored with a sport. Mix it up in 2008. Learning⁷ to play a new sport is fun and usually builds your skills in other areas. Tennis is great for hand-eye coordination⁸. Skateboarding helps your balance. Golf forces you to concentrate under pressure.

　　Don’t take sports so seriously. Yes, it’s a great way to stay healthy, meet new people and have fun. But some kids go overboard, playing on several teams and going to tournaments every weekend. Make sure you take time for reading or learning to play a musical instrument or just hanging out with friends and family. That way, you will have a great 2008.

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　　新年是做出决定的时刻，这样就能保证你在以后的日子里有所作为。

　　成年人通常计划减肥、加强体育锻炼或者戒烟。

　　而爱好体育运动的年轻人也可以制定一些计划。以下是2008年应该考虑做的事。

　　增加参加体育运动的时间，减少观看体育比赛的时间。每个周末，电视里都会播放许多场橄榄球赛和篮球赛。观看一、两场这样的比赛是可以的，但千万不要忘了到户外去活动活动，也许可以玩玩橄榄球，或者打打篮球。这是保持健康的好方法，而且可以使你成为一名更好的运动员。不要学那些沉迷于视频游戏的孩子，将“后院棒球”和“劲爆美式橄榄球”(时下两款最流行的视频游戏—— 译者)当成真正的体育运动。

　　了解你所喜欢的体育比赛的历史。比如，如果你喜欢长曲棍球，可以去参观一下长曲棍球博物馆和国家名人堂。在那里，你可以看到该项体育运动是如何从运动员挥舞巨大的由树木制成的木棒到快速移动的非常流行的现代化比赛方式的。

　　读一本书，了解一位以前的优秀职业运动员，比如(棒球)强击手亨利·阿伦或者(美式橄榄球)跑锋沃尔特·佩顿等。并不是所有的优秀运动员现在都还在参加比赛。你父母亲和祖父母曾¾观看过的比赛和运动员的故事简直是太精彩了。我特别喜欢棒球的历史，为此我为我的小狗取名“马蒂”，这个名字来自伟大的全国棒球联盟投球手克里斯蒂·“马蒂”·马修É，他曾在20世纪初期赢过373场比赛。

　　不要抱怨裁判员。如果你们队输了，你会很容易责怪他们，但那丝毫不能使你感觉更好点。今年，学会接受正式的裁定吧，不管是好是坏，它都是比赛的一部分。还有，记住过后向他们表示感谢。裁判工作并不容易。

　　试着参加一项新的体育运动。一年四季地踢足球、打篮球或者从事任何其它运动会使你受伤或者对某项体育运动感到厌烦。在2008年里，试着多做几项运动。学会从事一项新的体育运动会给你带来许多乐趣，而且通常还能培养你在其它领域的技巧。网球运动对手和眼的Ð调能力大有好处，溜冰有助于你保持平衡，而高尔夫球则使你在压力下注意力集中。

　　不要太看重体育运动。没错，运动是一种保持健康、结识新朋友和获得乐趣的绝好方法。但有些孩子过分热衷于体育运动，每个周末都要加入好几个队、参加好几场比赛。一定要留出读书或学习演奏一种乐器的时间，或者腾出时间与朋友和家人一起休闲游乐。这样做，你将拥有一个美好的2008年。