The Influence of Tennis Course on the Holistic Well ‐ being of Tertiary Students in a University in China

: This study aimed to explore the influence of tennis course in the students' interest and participation in sport on their overall health and well-being. The findings indicated that male students tend to be more interested in sports, especially sports like tennis. And participation in sports like tennis can have a positive impact on a student’s overall health, including physical health, emotional health, social health, and possibly even mental health. Therefore, several recommendations are hereby offered including promoting gender-equitable sport participation, strengthening the physical education curriculum, supporting mental health, providing competition opportunities and encouraging recreational sport. These recommendations can help schools and educational institutions take a more active role in nurturing the overall well-being and development of their students.


Introduction
UNESCO is the United Nations agency mandated to promote physical education and sport through concerted, collaborative and participatory action to support the rounded development of every individual.Physical education, physical activity and sport can play a significant role in the development of participants' physical literacy, well-being, health and capability by improving endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination, balance and control.
the data from the Monitoring the Future ( MTF) show a general profile of tennis players as well-rounded, successful at school, and involved with extracurricular activities.Tennis players also appear to be healthy overall and less prone to key adolescent health-risk behaviors than non-athletes and their peers who participate in other sports.Clearly, the data show that tennis is doing an effective job at retaining young participants, as well as helping them to develop friendships, excel on the academic front, and adopt healthy behaviors and may also be the potential catalyst for maintaining a longer and healthier life (Oja et al., 2016).The evidence uncovered here shows that tennis is achieving these objectives and, in the process, serves as a powerful catalyst for education and health among U.S. adolescents.Women's Sports Foundation,(2019).

Research Design
The researcher mainly employed the Quantitative approach particularly the descriptive comparative -correlational research design.This research approach incorporates an appropriate research design to address research questions in an appropriate and principled manner (Bryman, 2020; Creswell, 2017), which involves collecting, analyzing, interpreting and reporting quantitative data.

Sample and Sampling Technique
There are 468 tennis students who were part of the of this study as presented on the table above.To determine the qualified student -respondents, the researcher utilized the stratified random sampling method since the respondents are the students in the freshmen and sophomore grade levels who are taking up their Tennis course as part of their physical education class.

Research Locale
The research was conducted at Harbin University of Commerce in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China for the second semester of school year 2022-2023.The participants of this study were the freshman and sophomore physical education students from different majors like Economics, Engineering, Management, Arts and Science.

Profile of the Student-Respondents in
Terms of:   As shown in Table 1, in terms of sex, 189 or 40.4% were male students and 279 or 59.6% were female students.It showed that majority of the respondents were femalestudents.This shows that there are more female students than male students who are enrolled in the different sample colleges.This reflects a higher level of participation by female students in the field of study.
In terms of age, 34 or 7.3 % of the students were 18 years old and below, 434or 92.7% were 19 years old and above.This indicates that this age group is when most students enroll in colleges and universities, and that the physical education program is a field that attracts younger students.
In terms of grade level, there were 249, or 53.2% freshmen and 219, or 46.8%, sophomores.This indicates a relatively even distribution of students across grade levels in the different colleges.
In terms of college affiliation, there were 69 or 14.7% who were enrolled in the college of economics, 86 or 18.4% who were enrolled in the college of engineering,68 or 14.5% who were enrolled in the college of management, 196 or 41.9% who were enrolled in the college of science,33 or 7.1% who were enrolled in the college of arts and 16 or 3.4 who were enrolled in the college of law.This indicates that majority of the student-respondents came from the college of science and the least of them came from the college of law.

The Assessment of the Student-Respondents on the Level of Their Wellness
Table 2 shows the data about the assessment of the studentrespondents as to their level of physical wellness.It shows here how they perform well based on the level of healthrelated fitness as well as their level of skill-related fitness.
Health -related fitness shows how strong and flexible the body in performing different activities.The skill-related fitness pertains to how well the body in performing the different activities with higher level of speed and power, balance and coordination and lightness of movement.
In general, table 2 shows that the student-respondents agreed that they have a high level of physical wellness.It is evident in the composite mean result of 3.21 for health-related fitness and 3.17 for skill-related fitness.

The Assessment of the Student-Respondents on the Level of Their Emotional Wellness
Table 3 shows the data about the assessment of the studentrespondents as to their level of emotional wellness.It shows here how playing tennis help them gain a high level of emotional wellness particularly in the areas of self-awareness, self-organization and level of motivation.
Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ) according to Daniel Goleman, is the ability of an individual to manage his own emotions as well as to understand the emotions of other people.There are five key elements to EI.These are Selfawareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and social skills.The researcher included the first three elements only in assessing the level of emotional wellness of the studentrespondents since the level of social wellness is being separately assessed too.
The first element in gaining a high level of emotional intelligence is Self-awareness which is the ability to focus on oneself and how his actions, thoughts and emotions do or align with his internal standards like belief, values and principles in life.The second element is Self-regulation which is the ability to understand and manage one's behavior and the reactions to feelings and things that are happening him.It includes being able to: regulate reactions to strong emotions like frustrations, excitement, anger, and embarrassment.This can help to calm down after something upsetting or exciting events occurred and help oneself to stay focus on a task.And the third element is Motivation.It is the general desire, driving force or willingness of someone to do something.Motivation is the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.
In general, table 3 shows that the student-respondents agreed that they have a high level of emotional wellness.It is evident in the composite mean result of 3.30 and standard deviation of .046Looking closely at the mean results of the different indicators, indicator #6" helps me to stay motivated" has the highest mean result of 3.37.It shows that the studentrespondents agreed that they gain a high level of motivation when they play the tennis sport.Obviously, this element of emotional intelligence can help the respondents to be more motivated when they play with their classmates too.The second highest indicators are #4 and 5 with a mean result of 3.36 "helps me to take care of my body" and "gives me an enjoyable way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle".These show that the student-respondents are also aware of the benefits of playing tennis to their body.They are aware that by playing tennis, they could gain a high level of enjoyment and ways on how to be healthier in a physical way, that is by playing sport like tennis.The third highest indicator is #7 with a mean result of 3.35 ".Helps me to be aware of the values of tennis to my health".This could mean that the studentrespondents are aware of the health value of playing tennis.
On the contrary, the student-respondents revealed also that playing tennis do not help them much in dealing with their studies.It is evident in the mean result of lowest indicator which is indicator#15, "helps me to more committed dealings with my studies".This could mean that they need to increase their level of motivation in focusing to their studies so that their academic performance will improve further.
According to Daniel Goleman, Self-awareness refers to the capacity to recognize and understand emotions and to have a sense of how one's actions, moods, and the emotions of others take effect.Self-awareness is the ability to recognize a sensation or emotion the moment it occurs.According to Bay et al, (2021), a person's behavior needs to possess high emotional intelligence.A person with high intelligence (EI) and strong self-regulatory skills will assist them in handling teams and interact with others.Personal self-organization is an integral property meaning optimal employment of resources to reach a goal, time management and scheduling, self-control, choice and update of modus operandi, commitment to the development of abilities supporting solving of educational, personal and professional tasks altogether.
As part of human psychology and behavior, motivation is an important and complex factor that influences how one chooses to spend their time, how much energy one devotes to certain tasks, and how one thinks and feels about those tasks.In the context of sports, motivation is one of the most studied variables as it is closely related to those motives that lead the athlete to start, maintain and abandon sport practice (Guillén, 2017; Muñoz, 2021).

The Assessment of the Student-Respondents on the Level of Their Social Wellness
Table 4 shows the data about the assessment of the studentrespondents as to their level of social wellness.It shows here how they interact with other people especially to their classmates.Their level of social wellness was being assessed by themselves based on the following variables-sense of belonging and the support system that received and can extend to the people around them.
Sense of belongingness is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group.It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work.When employees feel like they don't belong at work, their performance and their personal lives suffer.Creating genuine feelings of belonging for all is a critical factor in improving engagement and performance.It also helps support business goals.For the level of the students, if they feel that they belong to the group, they tend to perform better and their level of engagement can be improved too.
In general, table 15 shows that the student-respondents agreed that they have a high level of social wellness.It is evident in the composite mean result of 3.33 and the standard deviation of .024.Looking closely at the mean results of the indicators, #1, "playing tennis with my classmates and friends is fun and enjoyable" has the highest mean result of 3.38 and a standard deviation of .548.The result could mean that the studentrespondents enjoy playing tennis with their classmates.The second highest indicators are # 3 and 7 "playing tennis with my classmates help me to improve my tennis skills" and "playing tennis with my teacher helps correct the basic skills", with a mean result of 3.35 and a standard deviation of.550.these indicators show that through the help of their classmates, friends and teachers when they are playing tennis, they could acquire a higher level of social wellness.They could feel the sense of belonging and acceptance of their level performance in playing tennis.And the third highest indicator is # "playing tennis with my classmate help me execute the skills correctly".This could mean that there is a sense of acceptance in each other's skill level in playing tennis and those students who can play well this sport are willing to help those who need assistance until such time that they can master the basic skill of the game already.The indicator that got the lowest mean result was #10, "playing tennis with my classmates helps me to more interested in my studies," with a mean result of 3.29 and standard deviation of .555.This could mean that even though they play tennis with their classmates, it does not guarantee that it has a direct impact on their studies.
According to the University of California, Davis.(July13,2018), Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others.Our relationships can offer support during difficult times.Social wellness involves building healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine connection with those around you,"

The Assessment of the Student-Respondents on the Level of their Emotional Wellness
Table 5 shows the data about the assessment of the studentrespondents as to their level of mental/intellectual wellness.It shows here their level of mindfulness and resilience amidst the challenges in life.Their level of mental wellness was being assessed by themselves based on the following variables-mindfulness and resilience as they play tennis.
Mindfulness is the act of paying attention to one's actions, surroundings, thoughts and feelings.It is a purposeful act of being in the present moment.21 shows that the student-respondents agreed that they have a high level of mental wellness.It is evident in the composite mean result of 3.29 and the standard deviation of .024.
Looking closely at the mean result of the different indicators, #1," playing tennis helps me master the basic skills" has the highest mean result of 3.34 and standard deviation of .539.This shows that the student-respondents are very mindful when it comes to playing tennis so that they can easily memorize the basic skill.The indicator that received the second highest mean result of 3.31 and standard deviation of .024 is #10, "playing tennis helps me not to easily give up when I experience problems in life".This could mean that by playing tennis it could also help to improve their level of resiliency by not easily giving up.And the indicators that received the lowest mean results are#3,4,6 and 8. "Playing tennis helps me to think critically" playing tennis helps me to be in my decision-making skills", "playing tennis helps me appreciate what I can do" and "playing tennis helps me to be more persistent in achieving my goal in life".Somehow the students agreed that they gained a high level of mental wellness considering these indicators but they still need to improve more.
Our mental wellness is not a static state of being.Mental wellness is a lifelong process and a proactive strategy to strengthen our mental, emotional, social, and psychological resources.On one level, mental wellness is about prevention; coping with life's adversity; and being resilient when we face stress, worry, loneliness, anger, and sadness.On another level, mental wellness moves us toward a deeper, richer, and more meaningful human experience, which is often described as flourishing.The notion of flourishing as the peak mental state has been shaped by developments in the psychology field during the 20th century, including Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Carl Rogers and humanistic psychology approach of self-exploration and working toward full human potential), and Martin Seligman's positive psychology (emphasizing eudaimonia and human flourishing).Concepts of self-actualization, the pursuit of fulfillment, and the untapped potential that lies in all people were disseminated and popularized by the Human Potential Movement in the 1960s-1970s.Groarty, B. (2021).

Conclusion
Looking into the results and analyses of this study, the following conclusions can be inferred: Gender Differences in Sports Interest: It is evident that male students exhibit a higher interest in sports such as tennis.This finding aligns with the common observation that sports are predominantly pursued by males, both for recreational purposes and competitive sports.
Positive Impact on Physical Well-Being: Playing tennis has been shown to have a positive influence on the physical wellbeing of students.This improvement encompasses both health-related fitness and skill-related fitness.The inclusion of tennis in the physical education curriculum could be a valuable strategy to enhance the physical wellness of students.Enhancement of Emotional and Social Well-Being: Beyond its physical benefits, playing sports like tennis can also contribute to the emotional and social well-being of students.Tennis demands focus, mindfulness, and skill development, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment when played in a group setting.This can lead to improved emotional and social aspects of well-being.
Potential for Mental Wellness: Engaging in tennis can potentially enhance mental wellness as well.Tennis requires cognitive abilities for strategy development and execution.Moreover, the mental toughness required during competitive matches can further strengthen mental resilience and wellbeing.
In summary, the findings suggest that playing tennis has a positive impact on various facets of students' well-being, encompassing physical, emotional, social, and potentially even mental aspects.Encouraging students to continue playing this sport during their leisure time or as part of organized competitions could contribute to their overall wellbeing and holistic development.

Table 2 .
Level of student-respondents' physical wellness.

Table 4 .
Level of student-respondents' Social Wellness

Table 5 .
Level of student-respondents' intellectual/mental wellness