A 3-day 2015 officiating course for Tennis referees has ended on Sunday in Onitsha, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking on his experiences during the course, Callistus Ugwuanyi, a former junior and amateur state player from Enugu State, said he would now go to international and national tournaments with officiating certificate.

Ugwuanuyi told NAN in an interview that, as a retired player, the referee’s certificate would open doors of opportunity for him.

“As a former Junior and amateur state player for Enugu State, I started playing competitive tennis in 1985. I played under 16, and under 18 for Enugu State later.

“I played briefly at amateur level then retired to clubbing playing being a worker coupled with family pressure, so I left active tennis.

“Having been a tennis player all my life, I do not want to lose the sight of tennis but to continue and to retire to become a club tennis player.

“I will like to go to national and international tournaments, so officiating will take me to that level.”

He added that the programme would benefit him in many ways since in sports, and particularly tennis, the rules improved by the day.

“I will have a lot of benefit from this programme, since I am not a stranger to the game of tennis but you know officiating and the rules improve day by day.

“I can say that I have learnt a lot because there were rules that have come into existence and there are points that were there I did not know of.

“Now I know what is no and what is yes, so when I go back, it will assist me in my officiating career because I do local officiating on the updated rules in tennis officiating.

“A big kudos and a powerful opportunity for us that are participants and a lifetime thing, I did not know that this is the kind of officiating we are coming for.

“An International Tennis Federation’s standard, we really appreciate the sponsors and officials of this progamme.”

Also speaking, Ebi Agide, a journalist from Anambra State Broadcasting Service, told NAN that, as a journalist, one ought to be versatile in reporting.

“I fell in love with tennis not long ago and that was what prompted me to become a member of the Onitsha Sports Club, and that is the reason I had this opportunity.

“To participate in this programme as a journalist, you become versatile and could report any kind of sporting event.

“Having participated, I believe I have an edge over other journalists as regards to tennis and officiating now.

“Now, not only for journalistic purposes, but also to practice, I will not stop at this `level 1` but also to look for opportunity to go for the other levels.”

NAN recalls that the last officiating course was done five years ago in 2009. (NAN)

•Photo shows International Tennis Federation Logo

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