The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
TENNIS Zimbabwe (TZ) have started an ambitious coaches development programme that will see the country’s tennis governing body holding the highest level coaching qualification course.
TZ set the ball rolling with the hosting of a Play and Stay course in Harare last week that was attended by 14 coaches from across the country and the programme will culminate in the hosting of an ITF Level 3 coaching course, the highest qualification available in tennis, late next month.
This will be the first time the country will be holding the Level 3 course and coaches from other Southern African countries are also expected although Zimbabweans will make up the bulk of the participants.
TZ administrator, Cliff Nhokwara said hosting the course is part of their development thrust aimed at ensuring the country has adequately qualified coaches to ensure players receive proper training.
“We have five stages of coaching qualifications in tennis and at the lower rung are the teachers course for elementary training, followed by the Play and Stay, which we held this week and is ending today (Thursday), then Level 1, 2 and 3.
“These are ITF certified courses and we hope with more coaches who have proper skills they can easily impart them to both upcoming and established players.
“We have ensured we have participants from all over the country for the game to be played in all areas to make our catchment wider,” he said.
The 14 participants who took part in the Play and Stay that ended on Wednesday are Rumbidzai Magwere, Witness Jiyane, Kennedy Machisa, Sidela Machokoto, Heyley Masara, Alvin T Weseni, Anyway Mulinza, Stanley Ngoma, Joseph Mhike, Walter Handitye, Francis Chikaka, Mtshutshisi Matema, Mthuli Matema and Fernandes Dourado.
Nhokwara said they had been scheduled to host a Level 1 course that was set to begin last Friday but has been postponed to later next month due to a lower number of registrations.
He said once they have received enough participants they will set the date and most had indicated they would be available towards the end of November, adding they last held a Level 1 course three years ago.
Nhokwara added the hosting of the Level 3 course will be a big plus for the local coaches as it will give them a chance to attain the world’s top qualification without having to travel very far.
“We are hosting the Level 3 course for the first time and it is a huge opportunity for our local coaches because this course is rarely sanctioned and only usually held once in five years.
“While it is regional in scope meaning we are going to have participants from other Southern African countries, half of them will come from Zimbabwe,” he said.
