Editor’s Note: For our Selective Guide to the best local Swimming, Golf & Tennis programs and venues, click HERE!
Summer is almost here and that means kids are out of school and looking to run around. Three of summer’s coolest sports—golf, swimming, and tennis—are all great picks for getting your child out of the house, moving, and learning some great skills that will serve them well for life. We spoke with instructors at three notable city sports programs (one golf, one swimming, and one tennis) to get the scoop on what kids can glean from each respective activity.
Swimming Spotlight: Asphalt Green
The Instructor: Craig Charlson, Director of Aquatics
A Lifelong Skill: “Swimming is a life skill, exercise, and sport individuals can pursue throughout their lives… We encourage everyone to gain the skills and confidence they need to swim for fun, fitness and competition… The mastery of any sport requires practice, but swimming in particular both demands and celebrates repetition.”
What Swimming Teaches: “In addition to teaching swimming technique and improving fitness, Asphalt Green is committed to developing character through self-confidence, the discipline of learning new skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship… Our classes are intended to teach basic through advanced swimming technique, and to enable participants to use swimming as a way to maintain a lifetime of health and fitness… It’s our goal to teach every child a love for swimming, and we are committed to helping everyone feel confident in the pool.”
Golf Spotlight: The Golf Academy at Chelsea Piers
The Instructor: Steve Keogh, Senior PGA Teaching Professional
Why Golf Rocks: “Golf improves hand-eye coordination, feel, balance, and aim, which will help [students] in the other sports they play. [At Chelsea Piers] we encourage the kids to participate in other sports which will help their skill set in golf.”
What Golf Teaches: “Kids gain an understanding of respect between each other and with the skills we teach them in the games they play… Parents should know that the kids here have a great time and make new friends…the skills these kids walk away with at the end of each program are rules and etiquette, encouragement, and building of new friendships with the other kids.”
Tennis Spotlight: Advantage Tennis
The Instructor: Paul Fontana, Camp Director
Starting Young: “Tennis is a sport for a lifetime. The earlier you learn, the easier it is for you to comprehend it… As you get older, people play recreationally and, of course, there is a great number of people that play competitively. It’s part of their lives, it’s a part of their lifestyle. We have a lot of juniors in our program, and they become high school players, [and then] they go to college… If they’re good enough they might get scholarships. Once they graduate, they become adults and major contributors to society, and tennis can be anything from a once-a-week thing to trying to win the club championship.”
What Tennis Teaches: “[Players] learn fitness skills, hand-eye coordination, self-esteem, and using their bodies… We want to make sure they are enjoying themselves in a group atmosphere. Even though tennis can be an individual sport, we promote them working together as a group… We believe self-esteem is very important.”
