To be a sports coach you must have a good playing ability of and knowledge about the sport.
Pieter Stoltz, the new coach of Selection Park Tennis Club, shed some light on the career as tennis coach.
He says there were different requirements for coaching each sport type.
To become a tennis coach you don’t need a degree in sport science, only a good playing ability and a love for this sport.
He says there are four levels of coaching tennis.
The criteria in South African training are the same as set by the International Tennis Federation.
Training starts with the stay and play level (beginners), Level 1, Level 2 and the pro coach.
During these courses you will learn subjects like sport science and sport management and will be equipped to teach on that level.
The courses include practical assessment, as well as written examinations to cover the different subjects.
Stoltz says many tennis coaches are doing this work while they have other jobs or are studying.
He feels South Africa needs more well-trained tennis coaches that match the standards of the rest of the world.
He says because our country has only one tennis player in the world’s top 20 professional rankings, it is an indication of South Africa seriously lagging behind in tennis.
“Except for Kevin Andersen, our players never make the grand slams.”
Stoltz says a tennis coach must have patience, especially with pre-schoolers.
People skills are also important, as you have to assess your players’ abilities to learn and focus on the basic techniques of tennis.
He says because tennis is a physical and mental sport and considered as the second hardest sport to play, some students will learn faster than others before developing their own style.
It requires dedication of both coach and student as it takes up to 12 000 hours for a tennis player to develop into a semi-professional player.
