By Noelle Smith
As the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) continues to try to improve the level of their players their aim is also to keep raising the standard of coaching available.
Over the past few days the GTTA, in collaboration with the governing body of the sport, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is holding back-to-back coaching clinics at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The clinic is being conducted by ITTF Latin America Development Officer, Ramon Montes, who yesterday told Stabroek Sport that the intention of the clinic is to ensure that there are persons equipped with the skills to teach and train persons who are new to the sport.
“We would like to see persons in the position to go into the different regions of the country and be able to teach persons of all ages the basic points of the sport. The goal is to have persons who can teach the conventional players as well as persons with disabilities so that everyone can learn and play,” he said.
The first clinic, which ended on Tuesday, was held to certify Level One coaches who would be able to teach the beginning aspect of table tennis to those who want to learn.
According to Montes, there were a total of 16 participants (one female) at the Level One seminar. Yesterday and continuing today, a smaller number of participants will be in attendance at the higher level training programme which will cater to those who are more experienced and advanced in table tennis.
“We are having this course for persons who are more developed and advanced in the sport so that they can work with players above the learning aspect. These are persons who would be able to coach and train athletes to play at competitions locally and eventually for the national team,” Montes said.
Upon completion of the two clinics, participants will be certified coaches at their respective levels
