Byo table tennis coaching course starts

A TWO-DAY Zimbabwe Table Tennis Union (ZTTU) Referees’ and Umpires’ course has been lined up from today and tomorrow at Bulawayo’s Drill Hall.

Bulawayo Table Tennis Association chairperson Luba Ndlovu said the course is meant to help equip aspiring umpires and referees with necessary skills to promote the sport in the country.

“We have since noted that in order for us to promote this sport across the country we need people with who are well versed when it comes to table tennis. So I would like to call upon all those interested in knowing about the sport to come tomorrow (today). There will be professional instructors who have been in the sports for some time now so we expect to have a very productive programme. All those who will finish the course will receive National Umpiring Certificates,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said the course come at a right time when the province has just revived table tennis and called upon schools and tertiary institutions to introduce table tennis as that will help develop the sport in the country.

“This has been our main challenge because we don’t have a strong base at grassroots level where children are introduced to the sport unlike other disciplines. We therefore encourage schools to introduce table tennis in their curriculum. Last year we had a coaching clinic facilitated by local and international trainers and this time we are having an umpiring and officiating course,” Ndlovu said. — @khumzallen