I’ve always enjoyed playing tennis. It was one sport where I could be aggressive and strong, but also look really cute. (Those tennis outfits are the bomb!) I like the idea of staying feminine while being athletic because the truth is that those toe things are not mutually exclusive. Now that I have kids, I want them to play tennis too. And I’ve found there is no shortage of youth tennis organizations to help me with that.
Tennis is a sport that is reaching all aspects of society today. What used to be a sport for wealthy, White families, it now has players from diverse cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. It really is a sport for everyone. The Atlanta Youth Tennis and Education Foundation is helping to ensure that diversity in Georgia. They use tennis as a way to provide new opportunities to under served communities. They also provide mentoring and tutoring services.
Through the United States Tennis Association (USTF) and other organizations like ALTA and the YMCA, there are opportunities for kids everywhere, of all income levels, to become involved in tennis. Corporate partnerships, like with Thorlos, a specialty sock company, are allowing more children to learn about the game of tennis and pursue it as a professional sport.
There are great reasons to have a child learn how to play tennis. In addition to the obvious cardiovascular conditioning, kids who play tennis are more successful all around. A USTA study found that kids who play tennis do better in school, have less discipline problems, have college aspirations and are more community minded. Tennis keeps kids in shape both mentally and physically.
Getting children interested in the sport of tennis can be as easy as taking them to a match. Many professional tennis tournaments have specific events just for kids. In Atlanta, the BB&T Atlanta Open reaches out to the community and has several family fun events. And no one is too young. They even have events for kids 10 and under. Look for similar opportunities at other tennis tournaments nationwide. And if there are no pro tournaments in your town, cheer on your local high school or college teams!
Go ahead and get your kids on the court. And while your at it, why not join them for a match? Moms and Dads can play tennis too!
