Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
EMAKHANDENI Tennis Club is bracing for the return of players to training and has stepped up preparations for their safe return to the court.
Tennis is one of the non-contact sports given the green light to resume their activities by Government subject to meeting some conditions set by the Sports and Recreation Commission and Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Coach Khumbulani Tembo said while they’ll put in place some health and safety measures at the facility, players also have to take necessary personal precautionary measures on their return to training.
“We will observe the operating rules and regulations, bearing in mind that the pandemic still exists. l urge everyone to adhere to the healthy protocols so that sporting activities remain operational. If sports remain suspended, we stand to lose untapped talent that we won’t get a chance to unearth, they’ll just pursue a career outside sport,” said Tembo.
“The club is working on acquiring some thermometer guns and mobile handwashing basins which will be vital when training and events finally start. Adhering to the set conditions is key for us at the moment.”
Tembo has been coaching grassroots tennis since 2002 and among his prodigies are Nicole Kumwenda, Hillary Ncube and Bukale Mukombwe, who all moved to the United States of America on tennis scholarships.
According to conditions set by the SRC, tennis facilities must appoint an enforcement officer to ensure adherence to the guidelines. The guidelines and requirements will cover players registered with Tennis Zimbabwe and have official clearance letters.
Apart from the usual guidelines of temperature checks, social distancing, washing of hands and wearing of face masks, the coach will provide and pick all practice balls.
For practicing to serve, a player has to provide his or her own numbered tennis balls which they will collect at the end of the session.
In a match situation, players also have to provide their own marked tennis balls.
Players will therefore only touch their own marked tennis balls during a match.
They will not be provided with chairs, unless the chairs are sanitised at the end of each session before another player comes in.
Only the coach can provide equipment like baskets, cones and ladders, which have to be sanitised after every session, and players’ bags are not allowed on the tennis court. — @innocentskizoe.
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