A gift for life - why every child should learn to play tennis
Learning to play tennis is a gift that will reward your child many times over and for the rest of their life. Here are seven reasons why…
Tennis was a gift my parents gave me when I was 4 years old. I was obsessed with it from the moment I stepped out on the court, and ever since, I have continued to fall in love with it.
There is nothing quite like running around and whacking some balls about; plenty of adrenaline, sweet satisfaction all while getting a glowing sweat on – for a spot of exercise, I’ve never found anything that can beat it.
But it’s so much more than just that.
It’s the mental fitness as well as the physical that I have achieved over the years, the invaluable lessons I have learnt, the life skills I have developed, the opportunities I have seized and above all, the amazing friends I have made.
Tennis is truly a gift to give your child that can last their lifetime, and let me tell you why…
1. Physical development
I would say most, if not all parents would love to see their children enjoy an active lifestyle, and when it comes to playing tennis, this is probably the first thing most people think of. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Running to hit a ball back and forth is certainly a great way to enjoy staying fit and healthy, but there are so many additional physical benefits your child can gain too…
Brilliant hand-eye co-ordination, balance, motor-skills and body strength, not to mention a fantastic cardiovascular ability from lots of scuttling around with quick, stop-start movements in all sorts of directions. Our whole body is used when we play tennis as we run about swinging a little weight in our hand to then belt a ball over a net – it’s absolutely perfect for an all body work-out and parents trust me, it’s such a brilliant way to tire out your little ones!
For more on the physical elements gained when playing tennis, head to my ‘Is tennis good for fitness?’ post.
2. It’s a non-contact sport
Safety and the wellbeing of your child should always come first, and as far as tennis goes it’s a pretty safe game to play. In recent years, contact and collision sports such as football, rugby and hockey have gained a bit of attention for the short and long term injuries, both internally and externally, they can cause, and quite honestly this can be a real worry for parents.
With tennis there isn’t this same concern. The court provides plenty of space to run around and play without the fear for butting of heads or whacking of sticks.
Of course it doesn’t come without any problems - like all sports, injuries such as strains or tears can occur, but certainly anything related to player-on-player contact is eliminated.
And furthermore this non-contact, low risk benefit, is not just an advantage for children and young adults, but also means players can continue to enjoy the sport well into their senior years.
3. Mental development
Whether it’s through the independence of singles or team-work through doubles (which by the way, not all sports can offer that unique option!), tennis demands tactical awareness, perseverance, discipline, problem-solving, quick thinking, concentration under pressure, self-motivation and all with a healthy competitive spirit practicing to be humble with winning and gracious in defeat. The development of these skills is truly brilliant for young children to grow up with and they can really bring an inner confidence and true sense of self that is so valuable.
There is also a unique responsibility with tennis that comes when playing competitively - it is one of the few sports that you have to umpire your own match. Whether it’s just a friendly fun match that involves some improvised scoring, a school fixture or club championship, having to manage your own game is a brilliant way for a child to develop responsibility, fair-play, self-assurance, a platform to exercise standing up for themselves, whilst all the time reinforcing good sportsmanship.
4. Transferable skills
Every single physical and mental benefit I’ve mentioned in the two previous points are of course fantastic on their own, but the transferability of these skills across not just other sports but within all aspects of life are priceless.
When it comes to the physical, I always encourage children to play as many sports as possible, rather than just focusing on one at a young age. Whether tennis appears to be your child’s favourite sport or not, it can without doubt help to gain the skills demanded in other games too.
And not just sport to sport, but also in the big wider world too. Think about it, strong hand-eye coordination, balance and body strength are hugely valued in so many other industries your child may look to pursue in the future; construction, the performing arts, medical to name a few.
But of course it’s not just the physical, but the mental developments that can also help to empower your children throughout their life. Concentration under pressure, self-motivation and independence are fantastic traits that can help propel your child as they make their way through school, university and embark on their professional career. And in life too. Maybe it’s the relationship with themselves or those with others, or perhaps having to deal with a curveball life will inevitably throw at them one day; resilience, patience, commitment, problem solving… these are all essential life skills that tennis can help develop.
5. Opportunities for your child’s future
Absolutely your child could be the next Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu, but if that doesn’t quite work out, there is still so much more they can experience with the game than just enjoying hitting balls.
I have so many teenagers at my local club helping me out with younger groups; they maybe there to earn just a bit of pocket money, or perhaps working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award with school, some even complete their Level 1 and 2 coaching qualification with me and even go on to become full-time coaches. All this experience is really good for them; using the sport to learn new skills such as organisation, leadership and teaching.
There are plenty of other opportunities off the court too; officiating such as refereeing tournaments, or perhaps working with A-Level students to help get them into an American university through their tennis. Or maybe your child could take their knowledge to the professional tour; travelling the world working for Hawk-Eye like I did, or commentating or managing the PR of the top players.
I have two really good friends who I’ve known for 20 years; one is now a tournament director for Eastbourne and the other is in charge of recruiting statisticians and TV graphics staff for Wimbledon. Without a doubt it was their tennis that gave them these positions (as well of course as being brilliant individuals!) - so these are just a few interesting examples of where the sport can take your child other than just hitting balls.
6. Accessible, social and fun
Unlike other popular sports, tennis is widely accessible by not requiring large team rosters to get things going. All you need is one other person and you’re good to go! There are plenty of park courts around or local clubs to join - read my post here for more info on how and where to get your child into tennis.
It’s also an incredibly social game too. Coaching groups at clubs or in school, as well as team singles matches or doubles can be a really good way for your child to make new friends with like-minded children - some of my best friends now are those I met through tennis over 25 years ago and it’s brilliant that it’s this sport we love that brings us together.
And it’s not just the friends they can make as children, but as adults too. It’s a bit like learning a musical instrument - you may not end up a pro, but later in life you’ll be able to enjoy playing with like-minded people at your level. Growing up having the confidence to join a local tennis club perhaps at university, or in a new city when they leave home can offer so many new social circles and professional networking opportunities - as well as fun!
7. Tennis is for life
Now I want to end with my favourite point - what I absolutely love about tennis is it truly is a gift for life. With all the points I’ve written above, ultimately every child is different, but whatever they want from the sport and whatever great things the sport gives to them, whether they’re 2 or grow up to be 92, they can always have fun playing it.
So parents, by introducing your child to this game, you are giving them not only the opportunity to engage in a really fun and safe sporting activity that they can play forever, but you are giving something that teaches them invaluable skills that will help them find success for the rest of their lives. I don’t think a gift gets much better than that.
Lizzie Flint is a writer and a practicing level 3 LTA professional tennis coach.
She has been in love with the game since picking up a racquet at the age of four – and she has seen it from every possible angle: playing, analysing and reporting on tennis all over the world. Read more about Lizzie here.