IT is truly inspiring when you meet someone whose career is not only built on knowledge and experience, but also a true passion for what he or she does. For Norman Hall, tennis and pickleball pro at Sandals South Coast, his love for the sport was birthed at the young age of 13 when his mother registered him for tennis lessons at The Liguanea Club in Kingston.

Despite having no prior interest in the sport, young Norman would come to fall so deeply in love with it that he was adamant to continue training even after moving to live in Montego Bay on the cusp of adulthood. Fresh out of secondary school, the Papine High graduate found himself teaching tennis to tourists at various resorts on the north coast.

It is said that opportunities present themselves to persons who go looking for them, and in search for more, Hall was invited to Minneapolis in the United States in 1990 to teach tennis to teenagers at a summer camp. There, he met other tennis players who were also avid pickleball enthusiasts and with a desire to upskill himself, Hall began training to add this to his list of talents.

Four years later, he would find himself travelling once again to build on his skill, this time to Germany to continue his training in tennis. Over the years he seized opportunities to train and play with many athletes in both sports including top pickleball player, Kyle Yates, and to assist in training Jamaica’s national tennis team.

While working in Montego Bay in 2014, Hall was recruited to join the Sandals South Coast team as a tennis pro and shared that though he was not familiar with the parish of Westmoreland; he knew it was an amazing opportunity and jumped at the challenge.

“As someone who grew up in Kingston and then spent most of my adult life up until that point in Montego Bay, I was not familiar with this area. However, being one to always challenge myself, I knew joining the Sandals Resorts team was an undertaking that would be fruitful for me,” Hall shared.

With hopes of sharing his knowledge and skills to as many guests as possible, Hall can be found training first-time and committed returning guests as early as at the break of dawn, daily. Admitting that exceptional agility and competitive skills come with continued practice, he noted that his goal with every guest is to ensure they approach learning in a relaxed manner.

“Tennis is best experienced when you don’t take it too seriously. I teach my guests to focus on having fun. Growth takes time and you cannot develop a passion for something if you are too fixated on being perfect,” he smiled.

Through his passion for tennis and pickleball, Hall has built a strong relationship with his guests and has seen many planning their vacations around their daily sessions with him. Two of such are Sandals repeat guests and travel agent Celeste Gammon and husband Tony, who shared that even on their last day of vacation before catching their flight back home, they just had to fit in one last session with him.

“Norman is excellent and he works hard to make sure we have a great time. I have improved my pickleball skills tremendously,” Tony shared.

For Hall, his time at Sandals South Coast has pushed him to challenge himself and find new avenues to ensure his guests get the best out of their experience on the court. He noted that over the last nine years, he has had the opportunity to look at the hospitality industry through new lenses and has gained a deeper appreciation for exceeding guests’ expectation and assisting to build their confidence in trying new things.

In his spare time, Hall maintains a consistent tennis instruction programme back home in Montego Bay, where he continues to impart his expertise to both children and adults. The father of five stated that one of his favourite memories was being able to play friendly matches with his children.

When asked what his advice would be to his 13-year-old self, it would be to stay committed to the plan and trust the process and himself.

“I really appreciate my mother for taking the step to get me involved in tennis, as this was what set the tone for a life and career I have grown to love. I could do this for the rest of my life, it is truly a gift that keeps on giving,” a reflective Hall shared.

Many people believe that the key to being excellent in your career is to enjoy what you do, and for this tennis and pickleball pro, his love these sports is what makes working with the Sandals brand feel like simply another day to give his all on the court.