25 reasons why we like tennis more than gaming

We are sure that you have read some things about gaming and how much fun it is for kids. And we know that kids can learn a lot from gaming, but we think that our game, provides kids even more opportunities to develop as a person then computer games. Here are 25 reasons why we love ‘tennis’:

1. Tennis is a physical activity with more joints then two thumbs
2. Tennis is a social game
3. In tennis kids play within a social environment with parents and friends
4. Tennis is a physical brain game instead of a sitting in the couch activity
5. In tennis you learn to lose in public instead of losing without anyone noticing
6. In tennis there is a lot of interactivity between players
7. In tennis, kids need to solve problems with the other kids
8. In tennis, kids learn how to be better skilled athletes
9. In tennis, kids learn about a healthy life style.
10. In tennis we also have levels
11. In tennis we also have challenges. We even have physical ones.
12. In tennis we also have different play styles and characters or avatars
13. In tennis we teach kids about healthy food and diets
14. In tennis we teach kids how to play in a fair way
15. In tennis we teach kids how to deal with adversity
16. In tennis we use information from the gaming industry but we also use information from other areas. So kids get the best from both worlds
17. We also want to make the game addictively fun. But if things get out of hand we can say stop. ‘Today you can’t play anymore’, or we can help them if they over react.
18. In tennis we also use a step by step developmental plan which in games is called levels
19. In tennis kids develop as all round athletes, not only as a tennis player
20. Kids learn how to play tennis and can use the skills their whole life.
21. In tennis, kids always play in a safe environment.
22. In tennis, kids have role models where they can learn from. Kids can be fan of a real person instead of being fan of the Minions
23. You can play tennis with your mother or father. I never saw a child do that in gaming.
24. Tennis can be played outside. A healthy activity in the open air.
25. The tennis club can be your second home. A nice place to stay.

 

Ronald Pothuizen – Director evolve9, Netherlands Ronald was the program manager for the U12 program in The Netherlands for 16 years. He is manager the Tenniskids Program with extensive coach education courses (over 1500 coaches), a competition program for 35,000 kids and the support program for Dutch clubs (1400). Along working for the Dutch Federation, Ronald was very active internationally as a member of the ITF Play and Stay Taskforce. He has been to more than 15 countries to run workshops and/or to present for the ITF in U10. In 2011, Ronald started the evolve9 Serious Kids Stuff foundation. This foundation built the first Slum Red courts in the World. Prior to working for the Dutch Federation (KNLTB), Ronald was a Tennis director for 11 years in The Netherlands.