Creativity in motion: Exploring the dynamics of adaptive and creative states in youth tennis

Adaptability refers to the capacity of a system to reorganise its components to maintain functional performance as constraints change. In tennis, where physical, psychological, and affective demands fluctuate continuously, adaptability is essential. This paper examines how adaptability can be conceptualised and developed across behavioural, psychological, and affective dimensions. To do so, our paper is split across two main sections. First, we outline a conceptual framework describing the dynamic interplay of these dimensions within the landscape of adaptability, encompassing adapted, adaptive, and creative states. Second, we examine the effects of the Creativity in Motion approach - a principles-based methodology designed to loosen stabilised patterns and invite athletes into exploratory actions - during a three-day national training camp within an elite junior tennis context. Athletes completed a creative motor circuit before and after the camp, assessing functional adaptability, motor creativity (functionality, flexibility, originality), self-efficacy, perceived task difficulty, and affective states. A control group completed the same assessments before and after three days of regular training. Findings suggest that Creativity in Motion effectively initiated the loosening of stabilised behavioural patterns, creating conditions for transitions into more adaptive states as evidenced by a significant improvement in serve accuracy from pre-to post-intervention (d = 1.23). While psychological and affective responses showed minimal change, the intervention group demonstrated slight increases in originality and creativity scores from pre to post, whereas the control group showed a decline. Thus, Creativity in Motion may offer an integrative framework to support the long-term development of youth athletes' adaptive and creative capacities.