Linden schools included in GTTA developmental drive

…ITTF Coach Shavin Greene enthusiastic

Eight schools in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) have benefited from the receipt of table tennis equipment when the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) teamed up with the Linden Table Tennis Steering Committee and the Region 10 Department of Education, Mr. Lindley Langhorne and Coach Shavin Greene.
The beneficiary schools are: Christianburg Secondary, Harmony Secondary, Wisburg Secondary, Kwakwani Secondary New Silver City Secondary, Linden Foundation Secondary, Mackenzie High and Christianburg Primary.

The provision of equipment which forms part of the GTTA’s strategic decentralisation plan is to provide resources to aid in accelerating the growth and structure of table tennis in the region, and to provide students from the nucleus of schools earmarked for equity and access to sport as part of a developmental plan.
ITTF Level One Coach and Coaching Instructor Shavin Greene, who is also General Secretary of the Linden Table Tennis Steering Committee, with support from the Region 10 Department of Education, immediately commenced working with the students over the past few weeks, orienting then to the fundamentals of the game, in addition to assisting students undertaking CSEC and CAPE with their physical education SBA projects, following the COVID-19 Guidelines.
Green, who coaches National Cadet Champion Ebo Mc Neil, outlined that the provision of the equipment is truly a significant boost for the sport in Linden, “since we now have the facilities to conduct training programmes for the students at these schools in the comfort of their environment”.
He added, “We would be able to create school teams (for) inter-house and inter-schools’ competitions at the various age groups, and at the Steering Committee level, be able to have a nucleus of students whom we can identify for further training, talent identification and development, and representation of the region with a view to possible national selection”.
He outlined that the students were truly ecstatic at being able to have the facilities to practise and play the sport, and it was heartening to see the number of female players practising and signing up for the sport at the Linden Foundation Secondary.
Part of the plan is to have the Mackenzie High and the Christianburg Secondary made into two hubs in the region.
“One of the key areas that I have discussed with the GTTA President is for us to look at how we can commence targeting a few of the larger primary schools in the region, so we can commence unearthing the talents at a younger age – an initiative which he indicated he has slated for development.
Green also discussed the further training of teachers and hosting of ITTF coaching certification programmes to certify more coaches in the region and outside of the region, which he said is key to getting persons to assist with coordinating, managing and supporting the sport in the region.
Greene further outlined that he and the committee are exploring options to keep the members and students.