Tennis is the Solution

When ADHD meets tennis: The whirlwind in the classroom becomes the whirlwind on the green.

Tennis is not only an elegant sport, but it is a "natural medicine" for children with ADHD. ADHD, Chinese translation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, that is, we often say ADHD. Scientific research has shown that tennis significantly improves core symptoms in children with ADHD - inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.

This article will delve into how tennis can be the best sport option for children with ADHD and share real examples of how it has worked. In the next issue, we'll look at how tennis is taught.

On the tennis court, ten-year-old Jack ran back and forth like a whirlwind, busy picking the ball. His face was full of pure joy and excitement. School teachers once described him as a "whirlwind in the classroom" - unable to sit, often interrupting others, and completing less than 30 percent of his homework. Jack's parents have also tried exercise therapy. Just six months ago, his parents had all but abandoned his involvement in any organized sporting activity: on the football field he couldn't follow coaches' instructions, on the swimming team he always skipped in a row, and in baseball practice he often ran off the field suddenly. It wasn't until a friend introduced them to veteran tennis coach Roger that everything began to change.

"The first time I saw Little W Wind help the coach pick up half the tennis court, I could hardly believe my eyes," Jack's mother recalls. "It improved his concentration more effectively than any drug. " A growing body of research shows that tennis, a sport that combines strategic thinking and physical coordination, has unique benefits for children with ADHD. So Coach Roger and his daughter founded United Through Sports, a non-profit organization that promotes the integration into society of exceptional children through tennis.

Coach Roger said: "I've seen so many kids who have been labelled 'problem kids' and find ways to release their energy on the tennis court. Tennis gives them a chance to redefine themselves. "

When the small yellow ball flies over the net at 80 kilometers per hour, the brains of children with ADHD are experiencing a beneficial "storm."

Scientific research reveals that tennis provides a full range of benefits for children with ADHD, from physical to psychological, cognitive to social.

Compared with autistic children, the benefits of tennis for children with ADHD are both overlapping and unique, mainly due to differences in the core symptoms of the two neurodevelopmental disorders.

The unique benefits of tennis for children with ADHD

1. Effects on the brain:

The function of system of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain of ADHD children is dysfunctional at the neurochemical level. These neurotransmitters are closely related to the regulation of the adrenal gland. Tennis has been shown to naturally raise levels of these key neurotransmitters, similar to low-dose ADHD drugs, but without the side effects. The Yili study found that aerobic exercise such as tennis increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes nerve cell growth and connectivity and is crucial for improving executive function.
Research shows the immediate and long-term effects of tennis:
Instant Effect: A single 45 minute session of tennis training significantly improves attention span and task persistence in children with
ADHD, and this "calming effect" can last 2 to 4 hours
Long-term effects: Tennis training twice a week for eight weeks not only improved core symptoms, but also enhanced working memory and impulse control. These changes persisted for weeks even after stopping exercise
ADHD is weekly, with a 30-minute focus. Some participants experienced an improvement in their concentration, which will extend to 45 minutes.

2. Targeted improvement of core symptoms

Tennis has a multi-pronged effect on the three core symptoms of ADHD - inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity:
Attention enhancement mechanisms:
Tennis requires constant tracking of a fast-moving ball, and this "forced focus" trains the often weak sustained attention of children with ADHD.
Multitasking energy translates into athletic advantage:
Tennis singles, on average, burns 400-600 calories per hour, providing a healthy outlet for excess energy in children with ADHD.

Unlike sports that require long periods of sitting, tennis allows and even encourages physical movement within a reasonable range. Therefore, many children with ADHD often have the behavior of jumping in place and dancing rackets when they are in class. Coach Roger usually chooses to ignore it.

Coach Roger said: "Children with ADHD often have excellent power and reaction speed, which are valuable qualities of tennis players. We are not trying to eliminate their hyperactivity, but to teach them to control and apply this energy so that the whirlwind in the classroom becomes a whirlpool on the playground."

3. Beyond Symptoms: The Catalyst for Overall Development

The benefits of tennis for children with ADHD go tar beyond symptom management, it is also a powerful accelerant for overall development:

• Improving social skills: One mother of a trainee said: " After a period of one-on-one tennis training, the child began to pick up the ball.

When the lesson began, the child threw the racquet and ran away." Children with ADHD may need to spend weeks or even months learning

Improving social skills: One mother of a trainee said: " After a period of one-on-one tennis training, the child began to pick up the ball.
When the lesson began, the child threw the racquet and ran away." Children with ADHD may need to spend weeks or even months learning about the interactions with coaches. Interaction is the most basic form of social communication.
Coach Roger says the long-term goal is to include children with ADHD in group lessons for regular children and to increase interaction with regular children.
Build self-esteem: Children with ADHD often experience failure in school, whereas tennis provides quantifiable indicators of progress (such as service success rates) and helps rebuild self-confidence.
Regulating emotions: Tennis teaches children with ADHD how to deal with setbacks. One study showed that children with ADHD who participated in tennis programs had a 65 percent reduction in emotional outbursts. Coach Roger shared a transformation: " I remember Mike dropping his racquet the first time he didn't pick up the ball. Now he can accept mistakes and failures and is willing to keep hitting. This growth goes far beyond tennis itself

Every drop of sweat on the tennis court carries the miracle of transformation; Every wave is a challenge to and a transcendence of self; Every run reshaped their will and faith. United through sports is a bridge to the future for children with ADHD. Here, there is no discrimination or prejudice, only encouragement and companionship. The coaches and volunteers use patience and wisdom to guide the children to find their place in the world of tennis. But more than 60 special children, including those with ADHD, are currently on the waiting list. We need venues, funding, coaches, and volunteers. Here, we sincerely hire young coaches to join our team and invite more high school volunteers to join us. Let us protect this hard-won hope together with love and responsibility. Through tennis, we are not only training athletes, but we are also shaping the pillars of society in the future. Let us join hands to witness the birth of more miracles!

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