by Richard Pettit
I was recently at an old school friend's wedding. It was great to catch up with people I hadn't seen for some while and reminisce. As we did, it struck me that virtually all of my old school friends present had at some point played table tennis in our local league, Cirencester. Like many other leagues up and down the country, Cirencester was a league that was primarily based in village halls and venues that were too dark and cold in the winter and too hot and bright in the summer. The average age of a league player was well, let's just say old; and there was a serious resistance to change - sound familiar?
So how on earth did we all get involved? Well one man's vision changed everything. This man was Bob Davis, definitely one of the most influential people I have ever met. Bob's first move was to build a strong relationship with the local senior school, and in doing so, he unearthed a key ally and keen table tennis player 'Mr Green' (my maths teacher and tutor). Together their determination, superb negotiation skills and shared passion to reignite table tennis within Cirencester and particularly the younger generation led to a new facility, and subsequently a boom in table tennis in the local community. Without this enthusiasm and drive to create a welcoming yet competitive league within a central venue, and build that crucial club/league school link, I know my friends and I would never have competitively participated in the sport.
So if you find yourself in the situation described in my first paragraph perhaps it's time for a rethink? Collectively we need to move the game forward and create a new environment with better engagement with the younger generation, making sure that venues have the right balance between competition, social interaction and coaching. Leagues that play in different venues on different nights of the week, where a match can last the best part of four hours and finish after 10:30 pm, surely don't fit in today's fast-paced world, and are certainly not youth compatible.
So as we step into a new Sport England funding cycle with the Olympics providing the focal point to develop a world-leading community sport system, we all need to evaluate our position to ensure that we can capitalise on the opportunities. The ETTA has begun this process by evaluating its competition structure and commissioning an independent governance review to ensure we are providing our best possible service to support you, the Bob Davis' and Mr Greens of this world. Together we can make a difference and ensure our sport can grow, sustain and excel.
What do you think are the key priorities to develop table tennis in England?
Is the traditional three player league system sustainable or are two player teams the way to go?
Should we concentrate on knock-out competitions rather than league systems?
How can we make the league systems more youth compatible?
Please post your thoughts below.
28 August 2008
Does Table Tennis Fit ?
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9 comments:
29 August
English Table Tennis
I have come through the same system from school as described here, and it has been quite a journey through various systems and leagues.
My passion for the sport came through school teachers and friends that started playing at the same time.
The venues were ropey at the best of times, but always enjoyable.
However, today's youth have far higher expectations than I did at that age.
Time for change?
Always...
But the changes should be driven from those that don't yet play, and are looking for something entertaining and purposeful.
Those of us still playing after many years are less likely to accommodate change than the younger generation.
We should be asking what the younger less sporty youngsters are looking for, and what their expectations are.
While this does not answer any questions posed, it is my view that to develop and sustain this wonderful activity into a more attractive sport for today's generation, more consideration should be given to those that will succeed us.
Are we asking the right people to comment?
My own activities within the development of this sport may not be the most dedicated or full time, but I do look at how I and my fellow coaches and volunteers can offer more and better opportunities for those either disaffected or out of touch with sport. That much is still important.
You mention league matches finishing after 10.30 p.m. Why not introduce junior leagues with two-person teams playing 4 singles and a doubles (maybe best of 3 games) ?
Keith F in Surrey.
Interesting point about 2 a side
We have very successfully run 3 2 a side divisions along our now 4 3 as side divisions
The interesting point is the we see junior after junior as they get better moving into the 3 a side for the better competition
Seems to me the point really is 2 a side is much much better for less committed players but as a player becomes more committed there is no real problem with 3 a side
I have to admit we are a league virtually devoid of defenders - most 3 a side matches finish just before 10pm now with 11up.
Thus is another improvement the 11up game has brought us
As a newcomer to this forum, I apologise in advance if this is slightly off topic. The crucial age seems to me to be 8-11 year olds.
It seems to me that it is important to provide meaningful coaching. Too often table tennis "coaching" is little more than table time.
With the trend towards payed coaching and payment for school halls, it is difficult to strike the right coach: pupil ratio. I think one needs to pay a ";lead coach" and for him/her to be supported by voluntary coaches (controllers).
Parents will pay for coaching, but there needs to be a a structured programme and every child must get some time (20 minutes) one-to-one with the lead coach. They MUST get value formoney because they already pay for other activities and some will have more than one child.
The BIG question, is what will parents be prepared to pay? Will they pay £10 for two hours of quality group coaching (with a guaranteed 20 minutes one-to-one with the "lead / payed coach"?) Is this too much? Can you do proper coaching with a group of more than six primary school children?
Between the ages of 8 and 11 table tennis needs to be organised at times which doesn't clash with football.
Clubs should ask all junior members for permission to put their e-mail addresseson an ETTA database and juniors should be sent electronic copies of entry forms for ALL age-related competitions. For example, 8,9,10 years olds should be sent entry forms for ALL U11 competitions in the country by e-mail.
P.S. Too many coaches consider they own good players and try and steal them from each other. IF only table tennis came together and built a very good indoor facility in a certain areas and banged the cpoaches heads together. There are a lot of good coaches, but they won't work WITH each other. Always working against each other.
Re: "Anonymous, 5 September 04:04", Sounds great environment ! Many youngsters give up when they meet "funny" bats & defenders. I reckon 2-a-side would enable the youngest players to get home in good time during the school week. I take your point that as they get better (older ?) they can stay out later and play "normal" 3 a-side. (Not sure that 11-up always means an earlier finish though, in my experience !)
Re: "Primary School Coaching"
Age range is spot on. I agree about youngsters and "table-time". I find lots of Primary youngsters just want to "play matches" rather than learning by doing exercises we offer them; worst case I sometimes feel we are just a baby-minding session for some of the troublesome ones, which makes a class of size 15 hard ! Would suggest a fiver for a 90 minute session. With our proper structure within the club, poaching not an issue.
Isn't it about time we had another thread to discuss
I am involved at a local primary school in York. I do groups of 12 with one or two parent-volunteers. Rowntree Park in York has recently been given the first all-weather community outdoor table which is great because it helps to sustain interest for all those who cannot easily play much. Terraced houses and TT don't go well together.
My experience is that TT is *extremely* popular with the children. In our little school, the school council (reps from all classes) voted for TT out of choice of fairly attractive alternatives. I am limiting myself to one year-group (y4) and still get a heavy oversubscription.
Invariably, these sessions sometimes deteriorate into crowd control - but try the same with football and you will get the same challenge. But out of my twelve regulars I could easily select two or three for further training. I think it is surprising how many children, boys and girls, are not interested in football because it is too intimidating, but cannot afford tennis because it is too expensive.
The problem is that there is no obvious link between what I am doing, what other schools are doing and what a club nearby offers. Ideally I would be able to say that the school sessions really are tasters, but that there is a follow-up session, paid and all, is available for those who are serious. I am currently working on the teachers with the goal to setup a fundraiser tournament within the school.
To summarise: I think getting an 'agent' in a school is moderately easy: the National Curriculum certainly helps on this one and I find the PTAs are quite good first ports of call. But then what? The link between school and club is what matters.
But there is a more general problem: I am an immigrant from a traditional TT country (Timo Boll anybody?) who managed to live four years in York before realising that I live practically next door to the local coaching sessions. How on earth can somebody who is not quite as obsessed with TT find out what's going on?
Why not contact your local club ?
Get some support and advice from them & get them involved. Invite their coach in to school to give a 15 minute demo at morning assembly.
That usually impresses the audience(especially if they get two of their best youngsters to demo while a coach talks the youngsters through it).
Does your local club have a web-site as a point of contact ?
I think you are right in that
finding a local club is often
difficult to do. I wonder if
the ETTA's new registration process will enable complete newcomers eventually to see a clear
structured listing of clubs
by area (on their web-site?).
Keith F - Surrey
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