Tennis fan or not, you can’t avoid the story of the week that took place at the US Open Women’s Championship Final. Let’s put controversy, divisiveness and debate to the side shall we….and let’s instead talk about the hidden stories that kids might be missing amid all the drama.
1) This Final matched one of the most winningest forces in women’s sports history, Serena Williams, against one of the newest and exciting stars in tennis today, Naomi Osaka. Could a young spectator have asked for a more exciting match-up?
2) Can you imagine what it feels like for a 20-year old young woman playing against her childhood idol for the US Open Championship? The amount of poise, focus, endurance and mental toughness required is almost incomprehensible. Kids should study Naomi Osaka and learn from her performance.
3) Despite the controversy over the rules and how the referee handled the discipline, there is a clear message for kids: DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE REFEREE. True that many athletes break rules in games and get away with it, and you might even think some rules are ridiculous. But if you argue with the referee, they have the right to enforce any rule that exists. You will pay the price.
4) Managing your emotions during a match is equally as important as managing your skills. We spend a lot of time understanding the mindset of athletes, coaches and parents and without a doubt, if you have lost control of your emotions you have already lost the match.
So let’s help kids appreciate the positive takeaways from a Finals match that will go down in history….likely for all the wrong reasons.
Ian Goldberg is the Founder and CEO of iSport360, a new mobile platform for coaches and sport parents to set goals, share objective player feedback and conduct player evaluations. Get your season started right now for FREE at iSport360.com/CLP2 or download our iSport360 app here:
