In an article titled, Health Benefits of Tennis: Why Play Tennis? Dr. Jack L. Gropple curated research from renowned scientists to prove the validity of the old adage: “tennis is the sport of a lifetime.” Inspired by his list of compelling reasons why everyone should play tennis, we decided to create our own list outlining why we believe tennis is a healthy and safe sport specifically for children, because a lifetime has to start somewhere, right?
1. No Contact
Collision and contact sports over the years have started to gain attention for the lifelong injuries they can cause. While tennis doesn’t come without its fair share of accidents — if you’ve played long enough you’ve been hit with a tennis ball more than once — racquet sports have definitely become a favourable option for parents looking for a safe and healthy exercise for their child.
2. Expert Supervision
Again, safety first! With coaches on-hand during lessons to teach beginners proper technique and form, there is inherently less chance of acquiring any injuries. While shoelace trips and strains may occur, their likeliness is minimized with practice and patience.
3. Physical Development
A great way to tire your little one out, the game of tennis includes a lot of running around, quick movements, and the use of the entire body. As a result, the development of muscular body strength is inevitable. Couple this with the strengthening of the cardiovascular system — with tennis you’re looking at nothing but healthy aces.
4. Mental Development
According to scientists from the University of Illinois, because tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it could possibly create “new connections between nerves in the brain, thus promoting a lifetime of continuing development of the brain.” It also an effective sport to master fine motor-skills and hand-to-eye coordination.
5. Immunity Booster
By improving physical strength, flexibility, balance, and fine motor-skills, tennis will lend to helping your child master other activities off the court. One better, by staying fit and healthy, your child will also have a stronger immune system to help combat passed school yard germs and flu season.
6. It’s social and fun!
We could go on and on about the health and safety benefits of playing tennis, but above all else, we truly believe that when it comes to any sport it should start with f. A strong rooted history in good sportsmanship, teamwork, and camaraderie among players, tennis has forever been a social sport that leads to enjoyment. Also, the fresh air doesn’t hurt!
Still curious? Read on about the Benefits of Tennis!
