Online Reporter
Collin Matiza-Zimpapers Sports Hub
JULIUS Mashonganyika is now one of the “most wanted” tennis coaches in the US.
The Zimbabwean, who is one of the most decorated tennis coaches from this country, was recently selected by the Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, to conduct a tennis workshop at Health, Physical Education, Sport Management, Dance and Recreation Workshops.
The workshops will be held on March 30.
Mashonganyika received this special invitation as a US Tennis Association (USTA) Coaching Tennis Specialist, PTR High Performance Coach, High School Tennis Specialist, USPTA Specialist in Competitive Player Development and an International Tennis Federation (ITF) coach.
Speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub from his base in Loudon County, Virginia, US, yesterday, Mashonganyika (51) said he felt honoured to get this invitation from the Virginia State University.
He said this is “quite a huge honour” to be invited to stand in front of college students in the United States during the March 30 workshops.
“As one of the tennis experts, I’m really excited to give back my tennis and sport specialist to college students and faculty staff.
“I’ve been dying to do something like this, imparting my vast knowledge in coaching tennis to these students,” said Mashonganyika, who was born and bred in Harare’s high-density suburb of Mufakose.
He is a product of Albert Nhamoyebonde’s Mufakose Tennis Coaching Agency.
Apart from receiving the invitation to speak to college students at Virginia State University, Mashonganyika also added another feather to his already colourful hat when he was recently certified as a fitness tennis trainer as of February 27 this year.
Mashonganyika received his certificate after attending training on the Health Wizard 5 software suite and MicroFit FAS-2 System Fit-Lab at the Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation at Virginia State University.
The training was conducted by Rob Rideout, the university’s vice-president of sales and training.
Mashonganyika is a tennis coaching specialist at the university.
The Zimbabwean coach is based in Loudon County in Virginia, and recent reports from early this year indicated that he also operates out of this area, where he has made history as a certified USPTA coach.
Mashonganyika, who has been based in the US for more than a decade now, has also won numerous coaching awards in that country.
In December last year, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation selected Mashonganyika as a 2024 USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation Tennis Creates Award Winner in the category of Tennis in the Classroom.
