Tennis and Teens: Building Leadership and Teamwork Through Sport
By Your Leisure
While tennis is often viewed as a solo sport, it holds surprising power when it comes to helping young people develop leadership and team skills. Whether through doubles matches, coaching sessions, or youth programmes, tennis creates opportunities for young players to build confidence, communicate effectively, and take on leadership roles—both on and off the court.
Leadership Starts with Responsibility
One of the key benefits of sport is the development of life skills, and tennis is no exception. According to the Youth Sport Trust, sport plays a vital role in helping young people become “ready for life and work,” fostering qualities such as responsibility, discipline, and accountability【1】. In tennis, players are responsible for their own performance, preparation, and conduct. This self-leadership lays the foundation for broader leadership qualities.
From calling their own scores fairly in informal matches to managing their emotions during competition, young players are encouraged to act with integrity and maturity—traits that are essential for future leadership roles in education, employment, and society.
Teamwork in an Individual Sport
Though singles tennis is an individual pursuit, young players also experience team dynamics through doubles matches, school competitions, and club training environments. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the governing body for tennis in Great Britain, runs a variety of team-based events and initiatives, such as the LTA Youth programme, designed to build not only tennis skills but also communication, respect, and collaboration【2】.
In doubles, success depends on trust and coordination between partners. Young players must learn to communicate strategies, offer encouragement, and recover from mistakes together—valuable experiences that translate directly into teamwork in education and employment settings.
Leading on the Court and Beyond
Tennis also gives young people opportunities to mentor and support their peers. Through initiatives like the LTA Youth Tennis Leaders Programme, participants can take on coaching, organising, and ambassador roles at their local clubs or schools【3】. These experiences help young people build leadership skills in a supportive environment while developing their confidence and communication abilities.
Young leaders in tennis often develop public speaking skills, problem-solving abilities, and empathy—all crucial for leading teams in any context. The LTA notes that leadership through tennis can improve young people’s employability and encourage them to become positive role models in their communities【3】.
The Bigger Picture: Confidence and Character
The Sport and Recreation Alliance highlights that structured sport helps young people develop “soft skills” like resilience, motivation, and collaboration【4】. These are not only helpful in sport but are essential for building relationships, contributing to group projects, and adapting to change—skills increasingly valued in the modern workplace.
Tennis challenges young people to step out of their comfort zones, take initiative, and learn from both success and failure. Whether it’s leading a warm-up, supporting a teammate, or managing the highs and lows of competition, the lessons young players learn on court help shape who they become off it.
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Sources:
【1】Youth Sport Trust – Life Skills Through PE and Sport: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/
【2】Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) – LTA Youth: https://www.lta.org.uk/
【3】Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) – Tennis Leaders Programme: https://www.lta.org.uk/workforce-venues/coach-teach/tennis-leaders/
【4】Sport and Recreation Alliance – The Value of Sport: https://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/