Back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I was personally competing in table tennis tournaments in England. It felt as if there were not enough events for me to enter. Today it feels like the complete opposite, table tennis tournaments in the UK have quadrupled in the past 10 or so years.
Table Tennis Populations:
Don’t quote me but from past conversations, I remember the number being around 30k registered TT players. Nationally competing players, common sense tells me the numbers in the junior and Vett’s section is where we would find the most competitors. Due to the ratio of players actively competing, it would make sense to look at implementing systems that cater for a wider scaled audience. For example, female-only events, senior (18-40) only events. many players feel overwhelmed when having to mix with such an ore of mixed ability, age and sex.
Tournaments:
There are hundreds of tournaments locally and nationally every year. This has dampened the numbers for many events and reduced the quality and level of players entering. Tournaments are very important, no one can deny that! But they can have a negative effect in many ways: – Reduced personal training – High cost – Chasing ranking points – Personal value diminished,
– Prestige and wow factor (Gone),
The build-up and importance of an event has seemingly diminished if not gone from most national TT events
Money:
Tournaments are a great way for the association and clubs to raise funds. But I believe we need to grow the sport further by utilising smarter formats. The Current system mainly takes, we must find ways of giving back to the players.
What can be done?
Consistency: Have a national scene event such as GP’s and 4* scattered evenly across the nation (As seen on the pictured map). For example, six GP’s tournaments and they must be set in stone. If funds or a location is lost for one of those then replace it with a location as close as possible and near to identical set up. Clubs Unite: Instead of clubs hosting small 1 or 2* events why don’t they combine forces and host big 1 and 2* event together. Costs and profits can be shared between clubs and an increased level of participation surely would be inevitable due to combined forces. This would also reduce clashes in events and make the events a lot more respected by the players. Carrot: Tournaments are loved by players but there are two things missing in most events these days, reward and match play. Tournaments must find sponsors and other sources of funds to give players a financial reward for competing. Its done in other countries, so for it to be done in England shouldn’t be too hard. Lastly finding better systems where players get plenty of matches. This gives value for money, time and effort spent in attending events.
TTE (Table Tennis England):
Develop a system that provides more; more money, more participants, more value for money. By reducing the quantity the quality will rise and the system can grow once again.
Routes:
Once a solid tournament structure has been developed, there will be many positive growth factors for the sport. We must build up our grassroots and look at ways of keeping young adults inside the sport. Then we can grow our tournament base but for now, I believe cutting back to go forward in the long run.
Table Tennis Tournaments in England has begun running before its fully grasped the art of walking.
Written by Eli Baraty eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis) Coach Me Table Tennis – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Instagram: _elibaraty Twitter: @elibaraty FB: Coach Me Table Tennis
Building table tennis foundations are one aspect of the game, few are willing to focus on in today’s modern society. We live in an instant gratification bubble, (surrounded by layers of protection and technology creating a virtual world).
After watching the European table tennis championships this weekend. I quickly realised why Timo Boll is the most successful player in the European Championship’s history. Timo Boll is without a doubt the most stable player in Europe and this is because he has put in the graft for many many years. Commitment, persistence, repetition and hard work is something many younger players lack in Europe.
Building a foundation:
Timo started from a very young age on his home table with his dad. It was clear back then that the aim was to develop his strokes and craft his shots. Technically his forehand is not textbook but Timo has manufactured a solid forehand shot. Years of controlled footwork enables Timo to play high-quality shots from both wings, whether at a standstill or in motion.
The difference between Timo and the rest of the European players:
Timo Boll at the European Championships 2018
The difference between Timo and the rest of European players? He is the safest player on both wings, his shots may not be as powerful as Carlderano’s or as fast Harimoto’s shots but they are of extremely high quality. Every shot is positive with plenty of energy on the ball and both wings have a very low margin of error. Timo’s stability on both wings enables him to slowly break down his European opponents. No matter what the score is or how good his opponent/’s are playing, they often question themselves. In their minds, “Timo won’t miss, will I start missing? “I must play super high-quality shots to win, otherwise Timo is too consistent for me!” Those factors, put huge pressure on players to play at a high-risk game constantly and mentally they doubt their personal ability.
Why has Timo never won a Worlds or Olympic title?
Over 15 years ago I told, my students when Timo was world no.1, he will never win the Worlds or Olympic title!
Why such a bold statement? For me Timo is a complete player, unfortunately being complete is not enough! Many Asian players are complete players and this means they can able to go toe to toe with Timo. You need a weapon, Timo has no real weapon, his weapon is his solid foundations. In Europe, that’s enough to be on top of the pack. Most European players don’t have a solid base but many have a weapon and those weapons can inflict shock results. Examples of weapons:
Liam Pitchford – Backhand Switch
Par Garrell – Service
Ma Long – Huge Power
Harimoto – Speed
Zhang Jike – Mental toughness
All these players have the X-factor and that’s why they have won majors or are capable of pulling off extraordinary performances.
What European players need to become world beaters:
They must work on: Dedication – Developing strong foundations, lots of time spent on basic stroke development. This entails lots of repetition and many hours in the practice hall. Footwork – Understand and develop correct footwork to enable powerful shots whether at a standstill or in motion Middle Game – Hone in on high-quality shots constantly without breaking down, enabling continuous rallies when their weapons are not working.
An example of a hard-working European Player but started too late – Click Here
The secret:
Start young, work on consistency and repetition, developing high tension shots on a regular basis. Be patient and over time those building blocks will have formed a solid foundation. At the same time develop a weapon and then you have all the attributes to be great like Timo but also win majors like Ma Long and Zhang Jike.
There’s no tree on the planet standing without strong routes if you want to stand strong build strong foundation!
Written by Eli Baraty eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis) Coach Me Table Tennis – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
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Starting a new sport can be daunting but being a table tennis player is a whole new ball game.
Where do I begin?
The innocence, when you begin playing or take your child to the local TTC it feels amazing. Unfortunately, the fairy-tale diminishes as you incorporate yourself into the sport. Table tennis is often seen as; a game, recreational sport, an office pass-time and a home family game/activity.
Forehand Topspin Eli Baraty
Table Tennis is so much more!
Firstly it’s an Olympic sport and to all those who see it as something else, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Today table tennis is such a lucrative sport in Asia, and many start training from as young as one year old. Parents take full advantage of a sport that can be developed before you can even walk.
Before you can walk!
What sport can you begin playing before you can walk? I believe there isn’t one. Furthermore what sport can you play aged 100 years old and you can beat 95% of the world’s population? Again, only Table Tennis!
Our sport is so dynamic, so versatile and yet it fails to be a mainstream sport in most countries.
Being a table tennis player
It’s possible to make a good living out of table tennis, you must be in or around the top 100 ranked players in the world. Having this level can generate you an income of up to £1000000 per year. This includes prize money, endorsements, sponsorship, club representation and other sources of income.
The sport of table tennis is so tough:
Even though table tennis is not a mainstream sport, it’s the second most played sport in the world. Making the competition so high. Years of training is required and even though you may have the best shots you could still be beaten by players far less skilled. Table tennis has so many elements required in order to master it which is why some will train over 8 hours a day to perfect their game.
Nothing easy is special which is why table tennis is so special…
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Liam Pitchford has developed the perfect modern table tennis game. He is the 3rd Person to beat Ma Long outside of China.
Having followed Liam, since he was aged 12, I’ve seen him come a long way. I remember it like yesterday (Essex Junior 4*), the hall stopped. Everyone began to watch Liam Vs Danny Lowe in the final of U13’s category. Every time Liam was trailing tears flooded out of his eyes. The exact score has left my mind but I believe it was in or around deuce in the fifth with Liam triumphant. Back then he showed signs of a future champion but few took real notice. This was because we had the no.1 European player U13’s Gavin Evans and they were in the same age category, Gavin overshadowed his compatriot.
Golden age:
Youth players back then included; Paul Drinkhall, Darius Knight, Danny Reed, David Meads, Gavin Evans, Chris Doran, Matt Ware, David McBeath, Danny Lowe, Sean Cullen, and behind them, Zak Zilesnick, Sam Walker, Helshan Weerasinghe, Igor Morias, and plenty of others I’m failing to mention due to memory.
These sensational young players all had each other to feed off and there was a feeling of healthy competition. Paul and Darius had top senior players of which pushed them onwards. Senior players included; Gareth Herbert, Andrew Baggaley, Terry Young, Mathew Syed, Alan Cook, Carl Prean and others. Most-played the national scene which enabled our youth to see and compete against the best in the nation. Liam and Gavin saw the likes of Paul and Darius, Zak and Sam saw Gavin and Liam and Helshan and Igor saw Zak and Sam, each generation fed off the other.
Conveyor Belt
All these players could compete against one another and a chain reaction of great players emerged. Today many have dropped out of that list but few remain and those strong enough to have stayed for the long hall are reaping the rewards.
Broken system.
Liam was exposed at an early age to all styles levels and abilities. As a fighter, he continued to grow and find ways of winning. England’s table tennis system was great for developing young player’s at that time. But if you had reached a certain level there was little which catered for your needs.
From memory, Liam left England aged 15-16 and took his first international camp in Denmark. This was followed by a German camp where he stayed for many years alongside lots of young European hopefuls such as Simon Gauzy at Oschenhausen (OX).
Liam Pitchford – eBaTT
Something is not working for Liam:
Liam, aged 18-19 was beginning to show signs of world-class ability. Over the course of 5 years, Liam had beaten almost every top player outside of China. But was unable to cross the line when it came to big singles events. He was the player seen as, “ I want to avoid but he won’t win the tournament”.
Why was Liam capable of beaten almost anyone but unable to win any tournaments?
A few factors come into mind: new girlfriend, physically weaker than most other TT players, possibly not the golden boy at his former German club and lastly as Liam recently confessed (personal fights with depression).
Make a change:
Liam made a bold change and signed for Hennebont in France. Possibly a stronger league compared to Germany now! Hennebont is also a club that has achieved many great things over the past 15 years. Liam plays, at Hennebont but mostly trains in Denmark and Sweden. The change seems to have given Liam exactly what he needed to perform at the highest level on a more consistent basis.
My Opinion:
When Liam was 13-15 years old I had the privilege of working with him at the English Youth training camps. I remember the coaches would often have a drink at the bar and naturally discuss players. One evening a parent (Mark Bates) asked all the coaches who has the most potential in 5-10 years time? All said, Paul Drinkhall and Gavin Evans. both I and Mark said, Liam Pitchford.
Predicting the future
I don’t think any person can pinpoint potential greatness, but its a sort of human instinct or hunch as such and not everyone has this ability. This is because it’s not a thought its a feeling of “I know” not “I think” its a gut like feel. Of course, Paul was going to be great and Gavin would have been great if he did not have his injuries but Liam had something different, something extra!
Physical strength
I wanted Liam to bulk up for many years, I always felt he lacked true power and saw him as more of a counter hitter. When he played in small halls he seemed unbeatable but big halls that’s where he struggled. I noticed Liam’s legs have gotten slightly bigger over the past year and all of a sudden we are witnessing power produced from his shots.
Liam is extremely smart, everyone is flicking serves now and because of this I noticed how he is serving everywhere and placing himself in different positions when serving. Lastly, he is able to counter almost any shot and has the best backhand switch in the world.
Speaking to Liam
I spoke to Liam briefly after his huge wins, and he said one of the most amazing things. His words were “I am my biggest critic” Wow, when a person is able to criticise themselves then they are not only seeing the issues but they are also able to correct themselves. I was so impressed to hear this from Liam because we all criticise people but often forget to look in the mirror.
European Champion
I see Liam, winning the European Championships, it may be a bold statement but for me, Liam is currently Europe’s best player. Dima is not in form after his back injury and Timo as magical as he is and possibly had the best season of his career last season, I feel age has no choice but to catch up with him.
Today, Liam has developed the perfect game in table tennis and there is no one he can not beat on his day.
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Table Tennis seems to target two age categories, youth and senior (Vetts) players.
Junior Table Tennis (8-18yrs)
At a young age, there is lots of coaching and plenty of systems in place catering for juniors;
– Private and group coaching
– Breakfast, lunch and after school clubs (some schools). A good number of schools have both in and outdoor tables.
– Plenty of tournaments, locally and nationally
– Many young groups (social)
– Systems aiding development and progression (clubs, coaching, events & tournaments)
Adult Table Tennis (18-40yrs)
Once you’re out of the junior ranks, table tennis seems to desert you, somewhat. Naturally, at 18 many things change; University, jobs, driving, sex, clubs, drinking, social life and general life.
Should these life-changing scenarios affect your table tennis?
Of course, change will have an effect on present scenarios but without a support system, the effect is much greater.
Senior Table Tennis (40 years plus)
Aged 40 plus many seem to have a renaissance in table tennis. People start to use table tennis to regain their health and fitness. Many miss the sport and due to more stable lifestyles, they are able to reestablish their passion.
Access back into the sport includes:
– Local leagues
– VETT tournaments
– Social table tennis scene
– Financially able to pay for a group or personal coaching
What can be done to cater for players at the most crucial stage of their playing career?
Tournaments: for players aged 18-30. This will provide a bespoke feel for players in that age group. It will also encourage participation via a social scene.
National Team: Have two or three more National teams (England A, B and C). Each team comprises of 4 players. This means even if you’re no.12 in your country you could be selected for representation at international events. France has this system and it provides hope and drives for late bloomers.
Incentives:
– Sponsorship, companies provide small sponsorship for aspiring players
– Grants, financial aid towards training and coaching
– Special Under 25’s league’s, can be implemented to give young adults more encouragement, towards continued play, inside table tennis. Better formatted local leagues
England Table Tennis Youth
such as (Davis Cup for example).
– Club roles; assistant coach, sparring partner, admin, etc.
With the will and correct systems in place, there are ways of catering for everyone in our sport…
Those that don’t truly know me, I’m a person always looking to share and develop table tennis.“Emma from PongBosshas a few articles on improving your table tennis and other related articles on her website, check it out by clicking here.
I want to make it clear that my views and opinions are based on what I know see and hear. I am not against anyone that includes TTE. All I wish to see is our sport flourish both domestically and internationally. Unfortunately, I believe table tennis in England is at a very fragile state currently!
TTE, have made many changes over the past few years. Noticeable changes include:
change of name and branding
– A new table tennis England school (Ackworth)
– New, high profile positions: national coaches, performance team and CEO
– New policies: EYS, Rankings, application for international representation, National Cup, and 9-13
– A New National Championships format
– Newley introduced National Cup format
The list goes on…
What does this mean?
On a positive note, it means we are willing to change. Without change we are staying still and in today’s world staying still is effectively going backwards.
On the flip side, too much change in a short space of time may cause instability which can disengage clubs, players and coaches causing deficiencies in the system.
I would like to touch on recent events,
England Table Tennis Players
EYC selection
I wrote a blog about this and made my feelings clear as to how important investing in our youth is.
I attended a TTE performance team roadshow, on the 24th of June in Darlington. EYC was brought up as a notable subject and unfortunately, the new performance team member said, “we stand by our decision and don’t feel we did anything wrong” (Taking one junior instead of a full squad).
TTE saying that they don’t feel they did anything wrong is a defensive position and unfortunately, all players and team performance was below expectations, (coming from TTE’s performance requirements, they stated players and teams should aim to reach last 16 stage. It may be worth asking is there anything TTE believe can be done to improve things?
It’s a shame for TTE not maximise exposure and experience for juniors. Surely the more exposure you give players, can only help in the future, TTE currently seems to have taken a very limited view on this.
Investment:
For me, having investments is a good thing (Performance Team) and also important that the clubs and TTE have a blended and shared approach to performance. The different systems should be supportive and complementary…..and not fighting each other.
System:
The performance representative said, no system produces world champions. And most world champions are made despite the system.
This is disappointingly negative from TTE. England has a pretty big population and with the right focus and support, we are able to produce some exceptional talent. However… a structured system must be implemented one produced by England’s leading coaches alongside external consultation from the worlds leading table tennis nations.
Private Meeting with the Performance team
I was contacted a month back, requesting to meet me in person and discuss current TTE’s vision. After a two hour meeting, it was clear that the focus was not on domestic table tennis. I wrote a heartfelt email to express my love for the sport and how I wish to grow and develop table tennis in England. Unfortunately, the reply I received seemed to ignore most of my outcry which was on behalf of all Table Tennis community and I naturally I felt disappointed.
“I will be inside the sport to the day I die” Something I expressed in my email and with respect to TTE I wish to see our sport flourish in the production of future World and Olympic Champions. I would also like to see our table tennis as a mainstream sport respected and appreciated. But I do feel to reach great heights a strong foundation must be built.
The list of issues is an endless blog and I don’t wish to dwell deeply into the negative side of things but I do wish to find solutions.
I am willing to work with TTE or anyone willing to find ways of making our sport successful. We need to help each other grow and find solutions with a willingness to listen and oblige, across the board
Clubs
Table tennis clubs are the key to our sports success. Communicate with the leading clubs, or up and coming clubs. Find out what they are doing how can you help and collaborate.
Coaches
We have some amazing coaches in England and I’ve worked with many of them. Each has a unique set of skills, again communicate and find ways of developing a healthy partnership. Why bring foreign coaches when you have leading coaches on your doorstep? Embrace our own and results will surely come the way you wish for them to be achieved.
Players
TTE must appreciate that not all players have the finance or ability to attend EYS on top of all other domestic TT not to mention camps, group and personal coaching, tournaments, and international camps and events. Find schemes of aiding young potential players and help parents support their child’s potential, don’t make TT an elitist sport.
National Coaches
NC should attend more tournaments regardless of how important or not they feel these events are. By watching the players in action, a clearer picture can be made and it would encourage players, coaches and parents, make everyone feel special and worthy. Find out who is developing and why? Provide a clear pathway or an alternative pathway…
Elitist sport
TT should never need to be an elitist sport. No player should ever be excluded from progression or development because of funding. In the grand scheme of things, providing support to those in need would be peanuts compared to the overall budget. TTE can priorities if need to be to help those in need. Ultimately we must find ways to provide for our youth regardless of financial backgrounds.
Tournaments
The whole national circuit needs reviewing and restructuring in many respects. The list is too long for me to go into but in simple terms numbers are dwindling across the board. That’s a clear sign that something is not right.
Finding a positive notion
Communication:
Credit to TTE for putting on a roadshow meeting but come on guys 1 hour does not allow for real communication to be expressed or covered.
We must focus on providing a more bespoke set of communication pathways.
Funding raising/sponsorship/aid schemes:
Have a designated person in this area as a fundraiser for development and opportunities.
Listen and do your best to implement:
TTE make it clear they are listening but they also make it seem as if they are uninterested and unwilling to budge from their chosen criteria’s. A willingness to listen and actually try to make amends would be greatly appreciated, by everyone.
Provide opportunities for knowledgeable and passionate people.
Do your best to hire passionate and knowledgeable people who are able and capable of implementing new policies which are forward thinking for; clubs, players and coaches.
I want to make one thing clear, I have a genuine love for table tennis. Most know this sport is my burning desire and one I wish to only uplift. I am not writing these blogs to upset anyone or disrespect TTE as an organisation.
I provide my views and opinions from personal experience, what I see, hear and feel. My sole objective is to find ways of providing the best possible service to all invested in table tennis.
I appreciate not everyone will agree with me or see eye to eye. But my heart tells me that it’s my duty to stand up for what I believe in.
I’d like to add one more thing if I was in TTE’s position I would listen to the clubs, coaches and players. The answers are there, all that’s required to do is listen and build on what’s working well and improve the not so good.
Let’s not view criticism as bad, but as an opportunity to understand and something to embrace, resolve and improve.
As a starting point, we can look at implementing an impartial deep-dive review that would get everything out in the open.
From this point, we can build a clear strategy and prioritise and focus on what we need to improve. At the same time, the table tennis community and TTE need to look at working together to implement the plan.
Written by Eli Baraty
eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis) Coach Me Table Tennis – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
For the first time in possibly 20 years, I did not watch or follow the English Table Tennis National Championships!
I sneaked a peak on some highlights from Saturday with Craig Bryant vs Alim and 1 or 2 other games but that was enough for me. I felt so ashamed and disassociated seeing the nation’s most prestigious event (for me) the worst Nationals to date!
How can we make it better?
Have a Qualification event: This would give every player in England an opportunity to play inside the nation’s no.1 event. It would provide shock results and make most players feel a part of the event. Implementing an open entry would lead to extra support towards the main event (the players, whether in or out would feel a part of the whole event). It would also open doors for players such as myself, who may decide, they wish to compete again but do not have a national ranking! Or better yet someone like Andrew Rushton who could still push most players inside the top 10 but is unable to play due to the new closed ranking system. Increase the main event numbers, by having 64 players in the draw and the top 16 ranked players gain automatic qualification. Opening the Nationals to every player would be a huge boost for everyone; players, spectators and the organisation.
Venue: I understand this year, it was easy to host the Nationals off the back of the World Cup but as many have said, “the nationals need to feel intimate”. For instance looking at the Ping Pong World Championships at Ally Pally which has a great vibe and family feel, maybe we should look at using that same venue?
Characters, Hype and Charisma: TTE, coaches or the players themselves need to develop some charisma. I’ve read some great stories about players like Chester Barnes how he attracted thousands to come and watch him because of his outbursts and vocal statements. I’m not saying have bad boys to draw in the crowd! I’m just saying it would be nice if we had charisma before and during an event to build hype. For example; Nicknames: (‘The Big Show’ – Chris Doran), TTE: publish some bold statements “World Class players will go head to head” Players: send out quotes “I will not drop a set this year”, Coaches; “My player has a new weapon to reveal”.
Crowds and fans: If you want bums on seats and there are many ways of going about it: 1) Advertise heavily, emails, leaflets sent to every club in England and put adverts on TT websites, newspapers etc. 2) Offer a deal to every qualified coach in England. E.g. a free ticket for the coach and a small discount for every player they bring or push to go, or commission based ticket sales. 3) Send tickets to every club in the country and give them a profit share margin for every ticket sold.
Make it an event: create fun activities for families, mid-game entertainment, food and beverages etc.
Coppabox Seats
Stay positive
I tried to stay away from the massive negative talk on social media as it really depressed me. I’m a huge believer in our sport. And seeing the most important National TT event in dier state, I felt obliged to offer my solution based ideas and thoughts. Whether TTE takes notice of the outcry from its players and my blog suggestions is beyond me. But at least I’ve done my bit in an attempt to help.
I hope this is a wake-up call for TTE if not it may prove fatal in the (not so long) foreseeable future.
Have you had that feeling; when you play out of your skin and you seem to do no wrong? Or you beat someone you’ve never beaten before or you have just won a tournament? That feeling of joy which is why we play sports. And that joy is why table tennis is a sport, not business.
Unfortunately, like most things, there are a few negative elements! I don’t enjoy delving into the negative. But I feel we must be aware to enable us and provide whats required, for table tennis to flourish, now and in the future.
Table Tennis in the Office
3 Things Required:
– An open-minded governing body; willing to help, looking to grow and develop. A fair system that understands the player’s needs and caters for it in the best possible way, for all those inside our sport. In my opinion, it’s key to cater to those inside the system first! our players and coaches require more opportunities. If we employ external coaches and send our best players abroad, how can we develop? what inspiration do our players and coaches have from within? We must find a way to make our best players stay and provide the right stepping stones for our coaches, just like the best nations do. France, Germany, Poland, Belgium and other great nations all have top quality home bred coaches.
– Club structure, I’ve said this many times we must create a system which caters for all levels and ages, big centres and surrounding feeder hubs.
– Learn from the best; look at systems that work and implement it our way. We are stuck in an old system (local league diminishing, poor venues for national league, etc and a lack of togetherness in many instances, GP’s disorganised, expensive and very little reward).
Change
We must remember that table tennis is a sport and not a business but big changes are required. If we don’t make them we won’t ever have an efficient system to compete with the very best, continuously. A system that caters for all playing stages is essential alongside continuous support.
This must all come from the top and flow down to the bottom. Having a system that feels like a business is disheartening, especially for people like me and others alike, who truly love our sport.
Less than 20 years ago, the World Table Tennis Championships would include, Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles and a Team event, all on the same occasion! Today the team event is a separate entity and I wholeheartedly agree. I remember going to Manchester 1997 to watch the event where I witnessed Waldner get destroyed by Samsanov in the team category but then go on to humiliate Vladimir in the final of the single event.
Twenty-First century Table Tennis
Today having a separate event allows all players to give their 100%, due to a singular focus rather than multiple categories which takes precedence for certain players.
Some interesting results have occurred already and notably, England has caused the biggest shock of the event beating Japan. At the Beginning of this month, England suffered a shock defeat to a weakened Nigerian team at the Commonwealth games, so…
What has changed in less than a month?
1. At the Commonwealth Games, England were favourites to beat Nigeria and the whole event (an unfamiliar situation for the players). At previous events England was unseeded and the pressure was on the opposing teams to beat England but on this occasion, the tables had turned. It seemed the pressure of being favourites had taken its toll on the players and on that occasion, they were unable to control nor handle the pressure and bowed out to Nigeria in the semi-final stage.
2. Often when we suffer a tough loss or go through a negative period, we learn from it and use it to grow and develop ourselves. England TT men’s squad did just that! and clearly picked themselves up brushed off the loss and used it to produce their best result to date.
3. Liam Pitchford, has become a top 5 in the world team player outside of China. Liam has found a system that enables him to compete with any player in the world outside of China in a team competition. He uses the power of his teammates and coach to push himself beyond his normal capabilities and produces huge results for the team which uplifts the overall team’s belief.
China’s Table Tennis
Unfortunately, China is still seemingly unbeatable with Ma Long and Fan Zhendong currently untouchable… But Ma Long has a newborn baby now and he is around 30 years old now. He surely will be looking to slow down in the near future which effectively leaves Fan Zhendong as a lone ranger. And I believe from what I’m seeing there is not much coming through from behind to back Fan. So, could we see China broken in the next 5 years? It’s a tall ask and one few can truly answer but a small crack in the wall can turn into a major structural issue. Keeps a close eye on table tennis over the next few years and let’s see what unfolds.
Belief
Only time will tell if China will be beaten once again! but the key for everyone as England has shown, you don’t need all the skills in the world to beat the best in the world. Belief plays a huge part and if you have that inner belief you are capable of achieving what is seemingly impossible.
Well done to England Table Tennis Men’s Team for their wonderful achievements over the past 3 years.
eBaTT become Junior British League Champions for the fourth time in six years
Seeded fourth at the Junior British Leauge (premier division), after losing our first match it seemed as though the title would be out of our reach. Never the less the coaching team of Eli Baraty and Jade Blasse quickly re-thought tactics and formats which enabled the squad to regroup and bounce back with 4 straight wins. While we were winning our opposition draw two matches which gave us a slight edge on points after weekend one.
Junior British League 2018
Second Weekend
The second and final weekend saw us kick into action straight away with 6-0 wins over strong opposition. This meant if we could draw our second last match the title would be ours. This was against the team who had beaten us in the first round and title chasers. 3-2 down a loss seemed to be on the cards again. But home-grown Gaurav Aravind produced some wonderful play to take the match 3-1 against England no.1 Junior Shayan Siraj and give eBaTT the Title.
eBaTT Team:
Thibault Bailliet, Israel Awolaja, Gaurav Aravind, Dylan Curry Our Team is Sponsored by CreoGlass www.creoglass.co.uk
