Tennis Is A Life Game, By Pondo Vleisides

We all want to do something in the sports field yet find ourselves not the superstar to play team sports and golf, “the little white ball” forget about it. As coach and player of tennis for 37 years, I started playing as a senior in high school after football season ended in 1977 and with our free time we became bored. Playing for fun, I fell in love with the sport.

What I love about playing tennis, if I put my racket down for a few months within a few days of picking it up, I can play and have fun. When looking for a sport that is social and also you can hit against a wall if you like, tennis is a game you should seriously consider. It’s a life long sport for all ages.

What I love about coaching High School students is that when they need help in improving you can correct them, but the real joy is when they hit a great shot, that smile and confidence is priceless. When you play socially, you also have that same physical high and psychological high that comes with a great shot.

This community has many tennis courts that sit empty several hours of the day. Start learning now and you can use those courts for free and have a lifetime of fellow tennis players and friends the more you play throughout your life.

I see many sports at the high school yet tennis practice for my players, they just love it. I know they are going through stress and pressure yet hitting the tennis ball hard, endorphin’s are infused everywhere in the body, this is great news as we at every age need that.

Here are five specific health benefits you should consider in taking up the game of tennis that I found by Jack L. Groppel, PHD

Health Benefits of Tennis: Why Play Tennis?
By Jack L. Groppel, Ph.D.
Its historic moniker has been the “sport for a lifetime.” But is this true? According to world-renowned scientists from a variety of disciplines, there is no doubt that tennis is one of the best sports for you to play.

Here are the facts:

1. People who participate in tennis 3 hours per week (at moderately vigorous intensity) cut their risk of death in half from any cause, according to physician Ralph Paffenbarger who studied over 10,000 people over a period of 20 years.

2. Tennis players scored higher in vigor, optimism, and self-esteem while scoring lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes and non-athletes according to Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues at Southern Connecticut State University.

3. Since tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it may generate new connections between nerves in the brain and thus promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain, reported scientists at the University of Illinois.

4. Tennis outperforms golf, inline skating, and most other sports in developing positive personality characteristics according to Dr. Jim Gavin, author of The Exercise Habit.

5. Competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics, inline skating, or cycling, according to studies on caloric expenditures.

Is it any wonder that scientists and physicians around the worldview tennis as the most healthful activity in which you can participate? There may be other sports that can provide excellent health benefits and some which can provide mental and emotional growth. But no sport other than tennis has ever been acclaimed from all disciplines as one that develops great benefits physically, mentally and emotionally.

I have always believed Tennis is a sport for kids to learn early in life. What parent wouldn’t want their children to get these benefits through their growing years?
It’s not too late for adults and seniors too! The human system can be trained and improved at any stage of life.

Here’s the key… you must begin playing tennis now to get these benefits throughout your lifetime. Tennis is truly the sport for a lifetime! It’s been proven.

COA Tennis offers free clinics, and it’s free by professional coaches donating their time for healthy lifestyles.

Keep Your Racket Up, Pondo Vleisides, Head JV Tennis Coach, SCHS and COA Founder