Clive Thabo Dube
Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO based tennis coach, Adam Joelson has said a sport historically overwhelmed with white elitism has opened room for people of color and number of black players over the years is scaling up.
Adam Joelson who has produced quite a number of tennis players in the country revealed to this publication that he himself that before he was admitted to the fraternity at one point believed the sport of racket and ball was a preserve for whites.
“At one point, l believed tennis was not for people of color but truth of the matter is that it all comes down to the financial side. If you look at it, a good racket will cost you more than US$200, you also have to buy takkies, balls like every month. For some its quite a challenge to keep up with that standard, hence the ideology of ‘tennis is for whites or the elite’. He said.
“I then realized what discourages black people is the traveling involved in the game, cost of equipment and other economic barriers. You see, tennis is a globalized sport in which for one to scale its dizzy heights one has to travel the world in ‘Seven Seas’ “, Joelson added.
The famed Bulawayo based coach has been at it for the last thirty three years.
Joelson has been involved with schools such as McKeurtan Primary School, Robert Tradegold Primary School, Girls College and Evelyn Girls High School he coached in 1992.
“I was young (19) when l started coaching tennis, it was a part time thing when l started because l loved the sport. Thereafter l started off coaching in schools, I also coached the national team juniors.” Said the veteran tennis coach.
He told Zim GBC News that grooming girls has been one of his best life highlights.
“The experience of coaching girls has been beautiful to say the least. The girl child is someone who is very sensitive and you have to understand how to deal with them, how to promote them and how to encourage them. It does not only end there, the process of grooming them also involves the parents because priorities of girls change as they grow,” he said.
Joelson said he is proud of the work being done by the tennis motherboard in the improvement of the sport and he believes that with the right resources and equipment, Zimbabwe can make it big in the tennis circles.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will play the Davis Cup this coming weekend (3- 5 February 2023) and Joelson believes the country has a high chance of winning.
NOTICEABLE PLAYERS PRODUCED BY ADAM JOELSON
1.Mbonisi Ndimande
- Zibusiso Ndimande
3.Bongani Ndimande
4.Admire Mushonga - Rutendo Matingo
6.Pfungwa Mahefu - Genius Chidzikwe
PROMISING ONES AT THE MOMENT AT JOELSON STABLE
Kudzai and Kuziva Chapeta