Loyiso Matsha, a Deville resident, started coaching tennis at the Benoni Lake Tennis Club at the beginning of August.
“I love tennis because it exercises all parts of the body; it’s been a part of my life for years,” explained Matsha.
Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent or between two teams of two players each, he explained.
“The benefits of tennis to young people are that it keeps children busy, reduces truancy and helps to teach them discipline and punctuality. For the older generation, tennis has health benefits, as it pumps in plenty of oxygen and allows easier movements as they age because of muscle strengthening,” explained Matsha.
“How I got to tennis was all thanks to my father. He was a primary school principal in Joubertina (small town in the Kou-Kamma local municipality) and he taught my brother and I tennis from the age of eight. The sport never left me. I carried playing tennis throughout my childhood and ended up in coaching because, as I grew older, I felt that I had to give back to the community.”
He has coached and trained at many places, including the Weil Tennis Academy in the USA.
“I went to the academy, which is in California, in October 2013. I took a promising junior named Kevin Dlamini with me and we stayed for 10 days, shadowing other coaches while Kevin was being trained,” said Matsha.
With the lockdown in effect, Matsha had to put in many protocols to adhere to rules and regulations of Covid-19 while coaching.
These include:
• Players must wear masks at all times at the coaching venue. Only when playing a match can masks be removed as social distancing is implemented well during a match.
• No spectators are allowed at the venue.
• No tennis is allowed at night.
• No more than four players in court at any one time.
• Children are not allowed to handle balls, only the coach is allowed to do so. Players are to push balls with rackets to corners of the courts or kick with foot.
• Players to leave immediately after the game.
• Club house to remain closed and use of bathroom allowed only in emergencies.
“I am looking forward to all the new members joining us for a game of tennis. All children and adults are welcome,” said Matsha.
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