Prep Talk

The Benefits of Tennis for Children

Posted May 9th, 2016

Sometimes sports like tennis get short shrift with all the field sports so many children are involved in these days; however, Tennis has some great benefits for young bodies and minds. Here are a few:

Motor Skills and Coordination: Because the game is one-to-one, tennis demands full attention and helps develop eye-to-hand coordination. Learning to serve, judge the speed and force of the ball coming towards you, handling the racket and adjusting footwork are wonderful for developing tone and coordination—a big benefit for active children!

Building Muscle and Bone Strength: Swinging the racket and running back and forth over the court are great ways to keep the blood pumping and the lungs working, but these bursts of intense activity have the added benefit of building muscle and bone.

Psychological Benefits: Because tennis is an individual sport, players learn to take responsibility for whether they strike the ball or not, and also learn the camaraderie of sportsmanship when playing each other or in mixed double games.

Discipline and Problem Solving Skills: Working on weaknesses by practicing between games, attending coaching courses, getting to the court on time and managing tennis time with other priorities helps students prepare for challenges outside the court. Perseverance and discipline are not learned overnight, but learning to play tennis is an ongoing effort that helps develop those traits.

Come to Tennis Camp at the Prep!

If your son is entering grades 5-9, our very own Coach Alex Pracher and his staff will be holding a Tennis Summer Camp at St. Augustine Prep from June 27-30. Whether your child is experienced or brand new at the sport, they’ll enjoy this intensive camp, meet new friends and develop new skills! Camp starts with warm-ups and stretching, followed by drills that focus on forehand, backhand, serving, volleys and footwork. After lunch, campers will return to the court to learn strategy and improve their “Tennis IQ.”

Find out more here: Tennis Summer Camp