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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
EMAKHANDENI Tennis Club have resumed training early for the new year, taking back to the courts on December 27 as they aim at getting their players in shape early on and continue where they left off in the year that was.
Witness Jiyane, the club head coach said everything is in place as resuming training will assist in putting players in shape, mentally and physically and 15 new players have joined in the academy at the start of the New Year.
“Starting training early prepares their (players) mental and physical strength, and 15 new players have registered with us” said Jiyane.
With the club being one of the few in the city’s western suburbs, one of their aims for the New Year will be to spread the sport into other high-density areas so as to facilitate its development throughout the city.
At the moment, the club has a development programme with Charleston Trust Primary School which, in one year (2022) has produced positive results with some of their students winning medals in national tournaments and Jiyane said that will play as their motivator starting 2023.
“Our aim for the new year is to spread its (tennis) development programme to places like White City, Barbourfields, Tshabalala and introduce the sport in peri-urban and rural areas. We are motivated by the positive results we got from Charleston Trust Primary school, within one year the school produced gold medalists in Mutare and Bulawayo,” said Jiyane.
Some of the club’s products in partnership with Charleston Trust Primary School from last year which Jiyane wishes to see continue include Mbalehle Maphosa, Passion Chigumira and Sibusiso Sibanda in the Under-10 age group. The players represented Bulawayo in inter provincial championships in Masvingo in April.
With the early return to the courts for the club, they are also preparing for upcoming tournaments throughout the first term of the schools calendar.
“Charleston Trust Primary school, usually hosts an invitational tournament every term, Shabani Tennis Academy in February and Gwanda tennis Academy in March and other local tournaments being hosted by Bulawayo Metropolitan Province,” said Jiyane.
The year that was proved to be a good one for the club whom one of their players Isaac Nyoni was selected to represent Zimbabwe in the Zonal Championships which are scheduled for January 6-10 at Harare Sports Club. Nyoni will be joined by another player from the club, Adrian Mudzire (Under-12) in representing Zimbabwe in the event which is also known as the Junior Africa Tennis Championships.
The 13-year-old Nyoni was selected to partake in the prestigious regional tournament after doing well in national events in Masvingo, Mutare and Bulawayo.
Jiyane encouraged his players to continue working hard and demonstrate the same zeal they had last year as evidenced by the two players who made the national team cut for the continental championships.
“They should continue from where they left from last year and focus on their goals because they displayed a spirited performance last year evidenced by two players that were selected to represent Zimbabwe, namely Adrian Mudzire Under-12, and Isaac Nyoni Under-14,” said Jiyane. – @brandon_malvin.
Online Reporter