Tennis South Africa has signed a deal with an International Banking Group that will help change the perception of the sport as being elitist by training black female coaches in the country.
Forty-five black female coaches across the country have already been identified and will take part in the mentorship programme from next month with another 90 targeted for 2019 intake.
Efforts to transform tennis in the country are hampered by lack of facilities and coaches with kids in townships being trained by people who haven’t undergone the necessary training.
But with the signing of this deal, black female coaches will be trained at Growth point Development Centres across the country.
The federation believes the trained coaches will to grow the sport and increase the numbers of black players, while also changing the face of the sport.
The banking group, who are title sponsors of the Davis Cup and a number of WTA and ATP international tournaments — including the French Open currently underway will cover the costs of the programme.
It will start in June with the first intake to undergo training at various centres across the country.
TSA will help trainees with job placements as tennis coaches once they have completed the programme.
