Tennis is much more than a game!Tennis is the ideal sport to help achieve the health and wellness goals of school programming, and the USTA is the ideal partner to help schools bring tennis to students.
The USTA Pacific Northwest staff and partners help kids learn not only a sport but self-confidence, sportsmanship and the habits of an energetic, healthy lifestyle. We are committed to ensuring all kids have opportunities to play and learn the lifetime sport of tennis.
Most imporantly:
• Tennis players score higher in vigor, optimism, and self-esteem, and lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety, and tension than other athletes and non-athletes. (Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues at Southern Connecticut University)
• Tennis outperforms golf, running, weight-lifting, and many other sports in developing positive personality characteristics like sociability, mental focus, competitiveness, adventurousness, spontaneity, creativity, and assertiveness. (Dr. Jim Galvin, author of The Exercise Habit)
• The average person burns more calories playing tennis than doing low impact aerobics, weightlifting, riding a stationary bike, hiking, walking a golf course, or playing softball, baseball, or volleyball. (
www.nutristrategy.com)
• Over 20% of children ages 6-18 are overweight, and that number has increased 200% over the past 3 decades. A recent study by the National Association for Sports & Physical Education showed that physically fit children performed better academically. Tennis is one of the few sports that can be played for a lifetime and uniquely benefits children like no other sport. Through tennis kids gain both physical and psychological benefits.
Please click
here to learn more about USTA Pacific Northwest School Tennis programs and opportunities.