New Executive has big plans for Table Tennis

The next six months promises to be a breakthrough period for the local table tennis.{{more}}

With assistance from the National Olympic Committee, along with other stakeholders, a refreshed executive plans to take the sport further than it has even been, with innovations which were outlined as the Association held its first press conference for the year two weeks ago at Olympic House in Kingstown Park.

Public Relations Officer, Harvey Graham, informed the media that although the sport has been out of the spotlight for some time, the Association has been involved in restructuring the sport by working at the grassroot level.

“The National Olympic Committee has been very pivotal in assisting the Table Tennis Association in affording it the opportunity to take the sport into the rural villages and communities and to have table tennis spread throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

The selection of a national team for participation in the upcoming Pan American and Commonwealth Games is high on the association’s agenda for the upcoming months.

Secretary of the Association, Paul Velox, indicated that Kalique Bailey has been appointed the Association’s technical director, who will oversee the process.

He also pointed out that an Egyptian coach is scheduled to visit this country to conduct a coaching clinic to certify new coaches and re-certify existing level one coaches.

According to Velox, the association is hoping to achieve sustainability in the sport by training and coaching adults in the rural communities.

“Once we can train them to carry on, then I think that will augur very well for a continued development of the programme throughout the island.”

“We intend to elevate the association to the status of a vibrant and dynamic national organization, and we wish to establish table tennis as an on going sport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Velox added.

A number of tournaments are in the pipeline to take place later this year, including a youth tournament in August, a national championships in September and the firms and industrial tournament in November.

A squad is expected to compete in the OECS tournament in possibility of hosting the OECS tournament in September or October.