BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TABLE TENNIS coaches on St. Kitts are receiving yet another opportunity to advance and promote the sport locally while honing their skills through their participation in the 3rd International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Level I Coaching Course.
The course – which is being held at the Anglican Church Hall (the Old Boys’ School) – officially began yesterday (Aug. 8) with an opening ceremony attended by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Kevin Lewis, Director of Community Affairs Azilla Clarke and executive members of the St. Kitts Nevis Table Tennis Association (SKNTTA).
The course will run from August 8 to August 13 from 4:30 to 8:30 each evening.
Georg Silberschmidt of Switzerland, facilitator of the programme, indicated that the course would assist in reestablishing table tennis in the Federation.
He also informed that table tennis, with 215 nations joining the ITTF, is the “second biggest sport worldwide”.
President of the SKNTTA Kevin Hope explained that after some discussion, it was decided that if the true value of table tennis were to be recognised and if coaches were to efficiently deliver the true essence of the table tennis programme, it would be necessary for them to be certified.
“Since last August, we had the opportunity to have Mr. Georg Silberschmidt from Switzerland who conducted our second ITTF Level I Coaching Course for which Calvin, our Vice President, myself and a few others…would have benefitted in terms of the knowledge and how we can go about developing the St. Kitts and Nevis Table Tennis athletes.
“Subsequently, we formed a technical and development committee…and this technical and development committee started to initiate planning into table tennis since we recognise the importance of planning. Within that plan, we would have already foreseen the importance of hosting a next Level I Coaching Course to develop the local capacity of our coaches locally in addition to trying to trying to develop the youths within St. Kitts and Nevis.”
Approximately 11 table tennis coaches in St. Kitts have been ITTF Level I certified between 2004 and 2010 and, it is hoped that following this training course, others would be added to that list.
The opening ceremony was followed by a discussion on “100 Steps to Table Tennis Excellence” among past and prospective certified coaches as well as executive members of the ITTF and Silberschmidt.
The the 3rd International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Level I Coaching Course officially begins today.
