VIRTUAL AND AUTHENTIC TENNIS: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF THREE COMMON TENNIS STROKES PERFORMED BY COLLEGIATE PLAYERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the similarities and differences of three common tennis strokes (i.e., forehand, backhand, and serve) performed by National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I tennis players in an authentic and motion-based video game (MBVG) environment. Moreover, through qualitative focus groups, the perceived effectiveness of using MBVGs as a pedagogical tool was also examined. Video and statistical analyses revealed several positives and negatives of utilizing MBVGs when teaching sports skills, particularly in reference to beginner and experienced tennis athletes. Implications of these findings for physical educators, sport coaches, and sport video game developers are discussed.