Last month, I sent out the following tweet:
“Any tips on helping young kids learn good sportsmanship? “There is no such thing as a good loser” – my super-competitive 5 year old son.”
One response that I especially liked was from a family friend, Sean. “Team games help especially when there’s a mix of ability levels – also, non-winner games (puzzle games) where you just finish.”
Another helpful reply was from a really wonderful marketer, Lauren, whom I have worked with in the past. She also suggested team sports. Then, she told me about the U.S. Tennis Association and their Jr. Team Tennis program that begins at age 5 with QuickStart Tennis.
Since May is Tennis Month, I think that this is a great time for parents to consider involving their kids in this sport. The great thing about the Jr. Team Tennis program is that the focus is on kids having fun and developing social skills and important values (i.e. unity and sportsmanship). I especially like the QuickStart Tennis format for kids ages 5-10 where they scale down the game by using smaller racquets, low compression balls and smaller courts. If you are interested, you find a local program on their site.
Lauren was kind enough to send over tennis racquets, tennis balls and a parent guide which included some simple tennis drills and exercises for me to use with my family. Below are a couple of pictures of the boys playing in their grandparents’ backyard. (We still have to figure out where to play on a court in the city!)
