Kruger eyes new era for tennis

Larushka Kruger’s injury may have ended her dream of playing college tennis in the United States, but it has also opened another door for her, transforming tennis in Namibia.

Kruger, who started playing tennis at the age of nine, has been accepted into the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Programme (ICECP), an opportunity she describes as both a personal honour and an important step towards improving tennis development in Namibia.

She is the only Namibian selected for the programme, which is supported through Olympic Solidarity and provides coaches with opportunities to strengthen their knowledge through virtual learning, residency coursework and an international coaching apprenticeship.

Her journey in tennis began simply as a love for the game.

“At first it was just for the fun of the game,” Kruger said.

By the age of 11, she had started competing in Namibia Tennis Association tournaments, experiences that eventually opened the door to representing Namibia at international competitions.

Representing her country was a major achievement, but Kruger had set her sights on another goal. After completing school, she hoped to pursue college tennis in the United States.

That dream, however, was interrupted by an injury in 2023, preventing her from making the move.

Rather than walking away from tennis, Kruger turned to coaching.

The decision has since given her a new perspective on the sport and the role she wants to play in its future.

Kruger was particularly drawn to the ICECP because of its emphasis on developing sport within coaches’ own countries while providing them with international knowledge and expertise.

She hopes to use the programme to improve her coaching tactics, particularly through the lessons on athlete development.

She is especially looking forward to the international coaching apprenticeship, where she will have the opportunity to shadow an experienced professional coach.

“I have a lot to learn from this experience,” she said.

Her coaching philosophy has largely been shaped by her own coach, Charlton Diergaardt.

For her, developing successful players is about more than producing athletes who can win matches.

She wants her players to become well-rounded individuals who respect others, assist where they can and conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner.

That philosophy is also reflected in her vision for tennis development in Namibia.

Kruger believes one of the biggest obstacles to the sport’s growth is financial accessibility.

“One of our biggest challenges in Namibia with developing players and coaches is money. Tennis is an extremely expensive sport; therefore, very few children can afford it. We also do not have a proper education system running in Namibia for our coaches, therefore the schools that offer tennis, struggle to find qualified coaches,” said Kruger

One of her immediate goals is to get Katutura Tennis Academy running again. She also wants to establish partnerships with the Bernhard Nordkamp Centre and Special Olympics to bring tennis to more children in Katutura.

Kruger believes the potential is already evident. She points to four of her Katutura-based players who recently won medals at a junior tournament as one of the moments that has strengthened her belief in what is possible.

“It just showed me once again that your circumstances do not mean that you do not have the talent and capability. You just need an opportunity to break through, and that can change your life,” she said.

Her long-term vision extends beyond individual players. Kruger wants to see a Namibia where talented tennis players can receive financial support to compete on international tours, rather than having the burden fall entirely on their families.

She also wants development programmes established across the country to identify and nurture talent that may currently be going unnoticed.

“I want to start a new era for our tennis. I want tennis to be a sport that flourishes in Namibia,” she said.

-hnalupe@nepc.com.na