New feather in tennis stalwart Norval’s cap

ZULULAND tennis stalwart Petro Norval has been selected to manage and coach the South African U13 tennis side that will tour the United States from 20 August to 1 September.

Norval will accompany the team to the Abrie du Plooy Academy in New Orleans, where they will compete in a professional/amateur tournament and participate in a coaching clinic.

They will then jet off to New York to watch the first two days of the US Open.

‘I am super excited about this trip and am honoured to have been selected to take such a talented team abroad,’ said Norval.

Petro’s love for the game started when she accompanied her children to weekly tennis lessons in Empangeni.

She went one step further by studying a Sports Coaching Diploma at the University of Zululand and completing numerous tennis courses to become qualified.

‘ I decided why not do it myself and get involved in the beautiful game.’

Two years later she started coaching tennis at the Richards Bay Country Club and has never looked back.

She has been in the game for 30 years and is the current President of Zululand club tennis and Chairman of both the uThungulu and KZN primary and high schools tennis associations.

A few highlights in her coaching career is having taken players to watch Wimbledon in 2000 and 2004, attending the international coaches workshop at the University of Bath (England) in 1999 and having players representing South Africa.

‘I have a burning passion for the game and love coaching the youngsters, giving them building blocks for the future, while making them masters of their own game.’