Theron leaves lasting legacy in the islands

PIETER THERON'S tennis proteges are flying in from around the world for the Channel Islands team manager's swansong. The affable South African has left these shores to start a new life in Monaco. His parting shot will be when he flies from the south of France to Gloucester for the start of the Channel Islands' LTA Winter County Cup campaign.

As a coach, undoubtedly his greatest achievement has been the success of the three Guernsey teenage stars, Dom McLuskey, Pat Ogier and Rob West, all of whom are now abroad developing their game.

McLuskey is studying at the ISP academy in Nice, Ogier is at Baracelona's Sanchez-Casal academy while West is on a tennis scholarship at Cleveland State University in Ohio, USA.

Amazingly, all three are also flying in for the match.

'This commitment by the kids is unheard of,' said Theron.

'I will be interested to see how these boys have progressed after training full-time for the last two to three months. I've seen these boys grow, not only as tennis players, but also into men.

'They have turned from kids with talent into all-round players as they have grown mentally and physically over the years. We have given them the right guidance and the right circumstances to develop.

'It will now be interesting to see how they have developed as they under different coaches, on different surfaces and in different countries.'

The three lads are among a number of youngsters whom Theron has taught in his role as a coach in the Channel Islands.

The 34-year-old accountant first came over three-and-a-half years ago when he moved to Jersey.

He was in the neighbouring island for two-and-a-half years before hopping over the water to Guernsey.

Cape Town-born Theron has been the top player on the local tennis scene ever since his arrival and there have been a number of memorable moments for him, including winning the men's singles title at this year's islands' tennis tournament in Gibraltar.

The event was organised due to the sport not being included in the Island Games in Shetland.

'Getting an individual and team gold medal in Gibraltar was special,' he said.

Looking forward, Guernsey players have dominated the seven-man CI team this weekend.

Along with Theron, West, McLuskey and Ogier, fellow Sarnian Chris Hickling is also making the trip.

Gareth Roberts and Matt Harris are the only two from Jersey in the team that underlines Guernsey's superiority in the sport over our neighbours.

Theron has spent time in both islands and that gives him a neutral perspective and he believes that the two should be more intertwined and not so concerned with inter-island rivalry in order to build the sport locally.

'I've spent a lot of time in both and I've come to see them as one,' he said.

'My biggest criticism of both Guernsey and Jersey is that they still see themselves as completely individual islands. From a tennis perspective, we play together and we are the smallest county in the UK.

'I know the costs and the difficulties of having two separate islands makes this hard but if we are to be successful and compete against the big counties, we need to work closer together.'

When speaking to Theron, it becomes clear that he has a strong love for tennis and that he is passionate about sharing this enthusiasm with the juniors he has coached.

'I hope that I've shown them that tennis is more than a sport,' he said.

'It's a bridge between people and in my life it's built bridges from friends to professional contacts. It teaches you determination, it teaches you how to lose and how to win, and you can't do one without the other.

'I hope they not only compete but they will learn to enjoy and love the game. It's not only a sport, it's a part of life and for me it certainly is.

'I'm definitely nostalgic about leaving. I'm going to leave behind some good friends and colleagues but I'm going to miss the kids the most.'