The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE National Programme for the Building of Low-Cost Tennis Courts for Every School in Zimbabwe could be the game changer for the sport that could see more talent emerging from across the country.
The court, whose building costs are a fraction of the conventional all-weather one, is set to see more schools building tennis courts and ensure the sport is embraced by a wider base.
Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister, Makhosini Hlongwane launched the first of the courts at Molife Primary School in Domboshava on Wednesday and more education institutions expected to follow suit.
The court is expected to cost an average of $670, a big difference to the $18 000 that is charged for a conventional all-weather court.
Local coaches, Adam Joelson and Witness Jiyane expressed delight at the court, adding their efforts at development are likely to bring a marked change in the fortunes of the sport local.
Zimbabwe Tennis Coaches Association chairman, Richmore Murape said with more courts countrywide more talented players are likely to emerge.
Murape said the new low cost court model was developed by Tennis Zimbabwe following a request by the Sports Ministry for a solution to the problem of the high costs of the tennis court.
“One of the greatest challenges has been the construction of courts and I believe this new court has big positive implications and more young people will be exposed to the sport.
“This will attract people who were not even thinking about tennis, because they now have the courts they will get involved. This will build on the National Tennis Development Programme of the 80s and 90s that led to the emergence of new previously disadvantaged talent such as Genius Chidzikwe, the late Dumiso Khumalo, Martin Dzuwa, Takanyi Garanganga, Vusa Majola and Gwinyai Tongoona among others.
The court relies mostly on clay mixed with pit sand and river sand while the outer edge has bricks which is the only area that requires cement use.
Joelson, who runs GC Tennis Centre, said the programme is impressive and is likely to see more people developing an interest in the sport due to exposure.
Jiyane said availability of more courts will aid their tennis development agenda as they are constrained by lack of courts at the moment.
“As much as we want to recruit more young tennis players they all cannot fit at Emakhandeni and having more courts will ease the pressure and ensure we can visit the children at their schools.
“We will also have a wide pool of players to identify the talented ones from,” he said.
Murape however, said the obligation will be on each school to build their courts.
Molife headmaster, Ignatius Ganyo heaped praise on the community and parents for the role they played in ensuring the costs remain low as they provided labour, clay and other materials.
“We already have three pupils who have been awarded tennis scholarships by His Mercy Christian College in Borrowdale at a time we did not have courts, now that we have courts we are going to do even better,” he said.
Launching the programme last Wednesday, Hlongwane the programme guarantees the production of a generation of tennis geniuses in schools throughout the country.
“The overall thrust of this deliberate inclusive participatory model gives life to the clarion call for sport to be accessed by all. The programme has a game-changing effect in terms of making sport a germane faculty of human development.
“This programme also complements the new school curriculum and its prime endeavour to produce industrious learners who excel both in the classroom and in the field of play,” he said.
