Play time!

I just read this article in the New York Times called, "Taking Play Seriously". It is all about the benefits of play. How children benefit from free play. They gain social skills, motor skills, brain development, creativity - the list goes on. Well I heard about this from a sports newsletter that was encouraging us coaches to put "play into our workouts". A focus on the process and what can be gained through experience of moving and playing, instead of technique and results. 

Well unfortunately us girls are not the best at play. Boys are, though! They are always playing different games - getting hurt, getting dirty, getting into trouble. But in return they are great athletes. They can fool around on a tennis court all day making up games and just hitting around. Think how much better we would get if we "played more". There are tennis specific games that are "play" based - mini me, soft touch games, rolly polly, dinkem, dingles - again the list goes on. But the best type is just to go out and freely hit. Play tennis!!! Not worrying about technique, if you are going to win, what your friend is wearing, homework....just playing! 

To all my girls who read this - GO PLAY!! :-)