Florian Purganan is a teaching pro at Mill Creek Tennis Club. He played his collegiate tennis at Seattle University, and played number 1 for the 2001 season. He has been playing tennis since he was 10 years old, having trained at the Baguio Tennis Club in the Philippines where he grew up. He is currently rated NTRP 4.5, and has been to the USTA Nationals. He brings enthusiasm, positive energy, and a love for the game of tennis. He is available for private lessons, and is currently assisting with the junior program, ladies cup teams, and mixed doubles teams. Florian graduated from Seattle University in 2001 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology. He then earned his J.D. at Seattle University in 2004. He is fluent in Tagalog.

Florian Purganan - Winning The Inner Game The Mental Side Of Tennis

According to Florian Purganan, Here are 7 ways participating in tennis can improve your overall health, wellness, and happiness!
=> The Perfect Social Activity
Tennis can be played as doubles or singles, but either way you have to play with another person. Being able to socialize with opponents and partners is a huge benefit of the game! You are also around others who share similar interests and goals, which is very physiologically rewarding. It’s a great way for young players to make friends and develop their social skills.
=> Boosted Brain Power
Think of tennis as a zero calorie brain food! Playing tennis can improve critical thinking, mental alertness, and tactical thinking by making connections in the brain.
Tennis also helps regulate serotonin—a brain chemical linked to functions such as sleep cycle, appetite, and your emotional state. Having trouble sleeping or keeping your emotions in check? Hit the court!
=> Fight and Prevent Disease
Tennis helps keep your lipid profile in check, keeping cholesterol low. This can decrease your chance of suffering from stroke, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.
=> Improved Agility, Flexibility and Balance
Have you ever watched tennis on TV and the players are constantly stretching and reaching to keep a ball in play? Tennis is a sport where you are constantly moving, changing direction and stretching your body. By playing tennis on a regular basis, you will also notice an improvement in agility and flexibility.
=> Weight Loss
Tennis is a great cardio workout, especially if you’re playing singles. You’re constantly running, pivoting, stretching, and moving every inch of your body.
According to the American Dietetic Association, recreational players can burn an estimated 600 to 1,320 calories per two-hour singles sessions while competitive players can burn between 768 to 1,728 calories.
=> Stress Relief
We all have stresses in our lives—but tennis is a wonderful way to help combat that stress! The problem with simply going for a run or jumping on an elliptical is you still have the ability to let your mind race, “What am I going to make for dinner? How many calories am I burning? I still have so much to do before the end of the week, I have a huge deadline at work.” The list goes on.
When you play tennis, your mind is forced to focus of the task at hand instead of focusing on your stresses and endless to-do lists. Think of it as a little vacation for your brain!
It’s a Life-Time Sport
Unlike most sports, tennis can be played at any age. You don’t see many 60, 70, or even 80-year-olds playing tackle football or running up and down a soccer field. But many retirees still play and enjoy the game of tennis.

Florian Purganan

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