- Serowe, Maun, Palapye, Tswapong, Orapa, and F/town have tennis coaches
- 10 tennis players to secure positions in universities and colleges across the US
GAZETTE REPORTER
With 40 coaches spread around the country, the president of Botswana Tennis Association (BTA), Oaitse Thipe, has expressed his contentment with the “remarkable progress” of tennis in Botswana.
Speaking in a telephone interview recently, Thipe highlighted the substantial growth of the sport. “Tennis has experienced remarkable growth in Botswana,” he said.
“We are proud to have around 40 certified coaches who are actively engaged in promoting the sport in various regions, including Serowe, Maun, Palapye, Tswapong, Orapa, and Francistown.”
Healthy competition
He explained that these dedicated coaches orchestrate tournaments across the nation each month, fostering a culture of healthy competition and skill development.
He disclosed that BTA has extended its efforts to the educational sector, with coaches initiating tennis programmes in public schools in Maun, Selibe-Phikwe and Serowe.
“Incidentally, our schools initiative leads me to announce that Ekua Refilwe Youri, who is our highest-ranked female player, has been granted a full tennis scholarship by the University of San Antonio in Texas, USA where she will commence her studies this month.”
10 players
Thipe emphasised the success of the BTA’s National Tennis Centre Programme which has arranged for approximately 10 players to secure positions in universities and colleges across the United States.
He added that the organisation’s dedication to grassroots development is evident in the establishment of a National Juniors Tennis Coordinator within the BTA secretariat.
“Our coordinator plays a pivotal role by conducting training sessions in schools, educating both students and teachers about tennis and compiling comprehensive reports on tennis-related activities throughout the country,” he said.
He added that BTA’s commitment to elevating the sport’s stature on a global scale is exemplified by their endeavours in hosting international competitions.
Two int’l tourneys
The organisation is currently hosting two prestigious international tennis tournaments at the National Tennis Centre in Gaborone.
“We are honoured to have players from countries such as Japan, Canada, Poland and China participating in the ongoing tournaments,” he said.
“Infact, over the next two weeks, we expect the participation of approximately 100 players.”
Thipe said the dedication of BTA to fostering talent and expanding tennis’s reach is further evidenced by its philanthropic efforts.
To that end, BTA will contribute equipment sponsorships to players from Serowe and Tswapong next weekend.