I have won 1 award in my 21 years of coaching and that brought me to tears!
Because I felt respected and recognised. I think it’s something we all want! Whether it be by one or one hundred people (that’s irrelevant), the relevance is making an impact and then for it to be recognised.
Today opening FB and reading a mini blog by Stevie Brunskill, felt like I had won my second award.

As a professional table tennis coach with over 40 years in the game, you could say that I have met, played, coached, and worked with some wonderful people. I have decided to write and pay tribute to some memorable people that have inspired and helped shape me as a person.

Everyone that knows me, knows I do everything from the heart and give without ever thinking I want something in return. So when I get a small complement or something written or said to me or about me in a positive way. It truly fills my heart and makes me want to give more. 

Mr TT – Eli Baraty

Eli Baraty must be one of the most well-known names in table tennis. His self-promotion and his promotion of table tennis is probably of the highest in quantity and quality.

Some people might knock him for this, but actually who else is promoting table tennis like he is?
I don’t think anybody is. Not just in this country but I think it would be hard to find anybody in the world who relentlessly pushes table tennis to the mass market like he does. He constantly preaches about how great table tennis is. Eli really does live, breathe and sleep table tennis. Eli is very professional in his attitude and manner. I think his video presentations are possibly some of the best produced on the internet.

Eli and I have worked on several camps together. Eli’s coaching style is very professional, and he is always looking to develop and be creative with his delivery, often thinking outside the box, never shy to try new ideas and create new methods of training. Over the years Eli and I have become great friends.

Eli is a really nice guy who is easy to get along with, easy to work with and has brought many top coaches together with his coaching collaborations. Eli always gives great tips and advice to develop players and coaches. His presentation skills and promotion of the sport are second to none.

Although Eli is big on self-promotion, he never puts others down, in fact he is usually one of the first to praise and promote others. He is always offering to help and support others for the greater good of the game.

Another side to Eli that I admire is he is always looking to self-develop, always wanting to learn more and expand what he does, he never sits still. If someone is doing something and he is not, pretty soon he will be doing it and trying to develop it further if he feels it’s of value.

Again those that know me, know I don’t like to talk about what I do or can do but actually do it. Which means I must keep delivering, thank you so much for the love 💕🏓

Eli is very respectful and a true family man with strong traditional values and will always take a stand for what he believes in and stands by what he feels is right and wrong. He works tirelessly to help the game of table tennis improve, grow, and develop. It actually hurts him to see his beloved sport falter and fail and if he sees this, he is quick to say, not in a bid to drag the sport down, but to hopefully point out weaknesses and give suggestions of how he feels it could be improved, such is his passion for the sport.

Eli has a great zest for life, not just for creating good table tennis players or great clubs but also a general zest for life, if ever you ask how he is doing? Eli’s reply is nearly always “amazing” or “fantastic” He really does have this mindset of life is wonderful and probably sometimes it isn’t for him, but Eli is not going to bend to this. His mindfulness is so strong that he will continue until life actually becomes good. He tries to improve every aspect of his life which is something I admire.

He takes his table tennis work ethic and attitude into every aspect of his life. I think that’s what table tennis has given him, that’s what I feel table tennis has given me and I see this in Eli. Eli pushes this ethos of self-belief into the people he meets, helping others to develop many aspects of their lives by removing the restrictions and verbal barriers which other negative people may put in front of them. Eli himself dreams big and wants others to achieve their dreams also.
Eli is an extremely motivated guy who is so passionate and in love with the game, and what I think sets Eli apart is that his passion and love of the game is at every level, he loves the game no matter what, whether it’s played at home for pleasure, played for leisure or top elite, for Eli it doesn’t matter, as long as there is a bat in someone’s hand that’s what Eli wants to see. He would want for the sport of table tennis to be the biggest sport in the world and especially in this country more than anybody I know.

Many years ago, I remember someone saying, “table tennis will never be a popular sport until people in table tennis are willing to walk around town with tee shirts saying I love table tennis and not be embarrassed to say they are a part of the sport”. Until this happens table tennis will never grow. People within table tennis need to wear the tee shirt and be proud to be part of this wonderful sport.

Eli wears the tee shirt, and he wears it with pride.

Unfortunately for the sport of table tennis there is only one Eli Baraty.

As I always say, “if you have a dream, wake up and make it happen”
🙌🏓