The National Sports Commission (NSC), in collaboration with the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), recently concluded a “Teach Them Young” Summer Table Tennis Camp, at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.
From this camp, the participants will move on to the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry-NSC Sports Academy, starting today, Tuesday, September 6 and running every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 16:00h-18:00h (4pm to 6pm) at the National Gymnasium for 12 weeks. The camp was held in two segments July 11 to July 22 and August 15 to August 26, with sessions from 10:00h to 12:00h Monday to Friday.
The objectives of the camp were to help players with the basic skills; help players to become better prepared for future tournaments; train and introduce students to the basic techniques of the game; discover the skills of children; amuse children with sport skills and develop habits for healthy competition.
The programme targeted players 16 years and under. More than 50 players (boys and girls) were exposed to the sport of table tennis in a fun way. A key feature of the camp was the novices’ category. Over the years, this camp has brought out some of the top cadet, junior and senior players in the country. Guyana’s top female player, Chelsea Edghill Oly, was a product of the 2006 edition of this camp, along with several other male and female players. It is good to see the turnout of the children 16 years and under, who could be nurtured for the future as well as the increased attendance of females.
The camp has been hailed as a success because it exceeded its target of 50 participants. Of the 50-plus participants, 90 per cent were novices, 70 per cent were under-13s and approximately 40 per cent were female.
The camp is an annual initiative of the NSC, with the central aim of attracting 50 players between the ages of four and 16. Participants have first-hand experience, as well as theoretical knowledge of the sport, over 40 hours of engagement. They only receive certificates if they have attendance of 90 per cent and higher.
The panel of coaches includes certified International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches Xenophon Goliath and Linden Johnson.
