Soha Singh

These days, children have a lot on their plates in a 24-hour cycle. Schoolwork, after-school activities, sports-training, tuition, and other activities ensure that their days are packed. To add to it is the pressure to become all-rounders who excel at studies as well as at extra-curricular activities. Striking a perfect balance between studies and extra-curricular activities is a challenge. Parents expect kids to excel in studies while coaches push them hard to excel at extra-curricular activities. Poor performance in any one of these areas is bound to make kids anxious and stressed. But, there are a few kids who can balance both really well. Balance is important in every sphere of life. Maintaining a balance between studies and other activities helps in overall physical and cognitive development of child.

Soha Singh is one such girl who has made a name for herself in the field of tennis and also manages academics along with it. Tennis has been found to be one of the most physically and mentally challenging sport. It helps to improve grades, concentration, and focus as well as helping children to become more independent and handle stress better. Moreover, sports has been proven to have health benefits. Soha is a commendable tennis player and achiever. She believes in the philosophy of, ‘No pain, No gain.’ She completed grade seven from DPS Electronic City, Bangalore and currently is an eighth-grader in Meriden which is one of the topmost schools of Australia.

Soha holds 21 AITA (All India Tennis Association) Winner titles and 7 Runner up title for U12, U14 and U16 categories. At such a young age, Soha has many achievements to her name and made her parents and herself proud. A strong foundation is required to build something of value. This strong foundation was given to Soha in India by her Coach Suraj Bikkanavar. She was a part of Coach Suraj’s Sol Sports, Bangalore Squad for six years. Soha was felicitated at IIM-Bangalore as top sports talent of State of Karnataka for her outstanding achievement in ‘Tennis’. She was also felicitated by Karnataka Lawn tennis association for being the top player of the state in the U12 category.

Like every other sportsperson, Soha’s journey was no different. There were obstacles, injuries, disappointments, losses. But nothing stopped her from marching forward. Failure is an integral part of sports. There are numerous occasions where players make mistakes during a competition and these mistakes can be devastating for the kids which results in discontinuation of sport or loose confidence. But each setback made Soha became more determined, dedicated and persevere. As a result of her dedication and commitment to her sports, she got an opportunity to train in one of the top tennis schools in Australia under dedicated coaches like Coach Ross, Stelios, Francis, Brian, Patrick to name a few. Within 3 months she was awarded the most improved player award. She also won 2 silver tournaments in Australia.

Soha is a young talent. She has been performing well with a solid support system of dedicated parents and a team of coaches. They stood by her undeterred, believing in her. They motivated her to perform better and work hard. They believe that Soha’s unconditional commitment and immense hard-work is the key to her success.

Sport and physical education are fundamental to the early development of children. The skills learned during sports contribute to the holistic development of young people. Through sports, young people learn about the importance of crucial values such as honesty, teamwork, fair play, respect for themselves and others, adherence to rules. Soha’s story is a testament and encouragement to the kids of this generation to establish a right balance in academics with elite sport. Sports will provide a forum for children to learn how to deal with competition and how to cope with both winning and losing. These learning outlooks highlight the impact of physical education and sport on a kid’s social and moral development in addition to physical skills and abilities.