Introduction: The principle of competitive sports indicates that the cultivation of youth sports is the foundation and source of sports development. Districts and counties sports, one basic chain of the sustainable development of competitive sports in Shanghai, not only take on the important task of promoting mass sports, but assume the responsibility to implement the Olympic program. Therefore, rationalizing the relations among different athlete echelons is an important key to establish and perfect Shanghai`s competitive sports reserve talents cultivation system. Considering the potential of districts and counties sports, the authors, by analyzing the reasons for impeded progress of cultivation of youth sports, propose countermeasures to promote the sustainable development of competitive sports, and to provide advice and suggestions for the Shanghai municipal government and its relevant departments. This study is a sub-component of the program concerned with Research on Revitalizing Shanghai`s Competitive Sports through Science and Education, commissioned by the Shanghai Sports Bureau in 2007. Methods According to the needs of this program, the authors reviewed more than 10 books, 60 articles, and other professional sports literature, mainly in the areas of sociology, management, sports sociology. Field research was also conducted in Baoshan, Hongkou, Jiading, Yangpu and Putuo districts involving interviews some leaders from the district sports bureaus; grass-roots sports school leaders; and teachers from amateur sports schools in different districts and counties. In addition, questionnaires were designed and administered to survey the opinions of coaches and students from amateur sports schools in Shanghai`s districts and counties. Results / Discussion Analysis of the results identified a range of problems, including a decrease in both the number of amateur students in training activities and difficulties in retaining talented students. There was also disharmony between training for sport and learning and evidence of a lower quality of discipline and commitment which impacted on the development of Shanghai`s competitive sports. Possible causes of these problems included: 1) Ineffective guidance when combining training with other educational activities; 2) Deficient training mechanisms; 3) Incomplete assessment systems; and 4) Inadequate or inappropriate allocation of resources.
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