7 Reasons Why Kids Should Play Tennis
Ralph de Geus
Founder & Owner 433 & BALR. | Investor | Advisory Boards | Global Business Connector | UAE-based ????
In my family everyone plays tennis. For over 60 years my father was addicted to tennis, my sister and mother used to play and many friends too, with me it is no different.
Since I was 5 year I fell in love with this sport. After 42 year I’m still playing tennis. In that time I learned a lot through tennis. I went through each stage of my life playing tennis and this contributed absolutely to the person I am today.
So I decided to share what I’ve learned in 42 years of tennis that helped me become a better person. So maybe I can inspire your boy or girl to start playing tennis as well.
The life lessons I've learned in tennis, I will take with me the rest of my life.
To be successful
Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned through tennis is that I am strong and capable. Because when it’s just you all alone out there, you rise to the occasion and pull it together. In order to appreciate where I am now, I have to remember where I was, and the obstacles I have overcome to get to this point.
You are your worst enemy
I think one of the best life lessons tennis will ever teach you is that you can be your worst enemy. You're playing against an opponent who can't wait to kick your ass. However, many times we tend to focus on the person on the other side of the net more than we do on ourselves. Will you become your worst enemy or your best friend?
Never ever give up
It sounds like a big cliché, but it’s really an incredibly useful lesson. Until a match is over, anything can happen. It might be match point, but never ever give up, always keep fighting. You never know when an adverse situation can turn into a promising one.
How to work under pressure
Inside the tennis court, it all comes down to you. One of the hardest things about tennis is that it's a single person sport and your failure or success is yours and only yours. The constant pressure on the player is so huge, so it's vital that he or she learns to deal with it. Once you learn to handle that pressure, you can apply it to every aspect of your life.
The mind is everything
The mental part is often the deciding factor in a tennis match. The mindset is incredibly important for tennis players in order to be successful. Often the player who's mentally the fittest has the power to win, not always the player with the best technique or physical power wins.
You have second opportunities
Every tennis player knows that most of the time, things don't work out as we want them to, but that that doesn't mean we should give up or stop trying. Why would we have a second and third sets for? While it's true hard work pays off and that you can achieve anything you put your mind into, you might not always get the reward you expect or deserve.
Learn to lose
Losing is as important as winning. Nobody likes to lose, but everybody knows that without failure there's no progress. Without failure we wouldn't be able to enjoy the taste of success. Tennis players know this better than anybody else. Every match you learn from your mistakes and failures, and you get better and better.
Follow me also on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ralphdegeus
Director Of Food And Beverage at Joie de Vivre Hotels - Two Roads Hospitality
3 年Where are you training now please?
Psychology & Elementary Education at Randolph-Macon College
5 年love this
Creator of Thirty30 (T30) Tennis, Padel & Pickleball
5 年This is one of the best articles on tennis that I have read for a long time. It is all so true.
Creator of Thirty30 (T30) Tennis, Padel & Pickleball
5 年An excellent article Ralph. Well written and well worth a read. Many thanks. Mark Milne. Creator of Thirty30 tennis. https://www.thirty30tennis.com
MARKETEER/MEDIA/ STRATEEG/ COMMUNITYBUILDER/ ICT ANALIST / SPOKESMAN
5 年Fijn overzicht en inzicht! Dank Ralph