Table Tennis alive and well in SVG

Table Tennis is alive and well in St Vincent and the Grenadines. That’s the word coming from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association (SVGTTA) at a Press Conference held at Olympic House on Monday 14 June 2010.

Public Relations Officer for the SVGTTA, Harvey Graham, in his introductory remarks, admitted to some hiccups in the sport but indicated that despite everything the organisation has been able to continue with grassroots development and systematically and professionally advance its work.

Secretary of the SVGTTA, Paul Velox, outlined the record of achievements of the organisation and showed slides of the destructive work perpetrated against them while having use of the building that once housed the Government Printery in Kingstown. The grassroots programme, he noted, has extended the reach of Table Tennis to the youths of New Adelphi, Colonarie, Liberty Lodge, Layou, Barrouallie, Rose Bank, Mustique, Georgetown, and Campden Park. There are ongoing programmes with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and AVESCO, the latter being the organisation’s biggest success story.

Velox also outlined the SVGTTA’s plans for the rest of 2010 which includes the organisation’s national championships and the selection of training squads for participation in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in October and the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the Summer of 2011.

During the period 2 – 17 July 2010 the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has agreed to provide coach Dalwathi of Egypt, to conduct a Technical Course here sponsored by the National Olympic Committee with funding from Olympic Solidarity. According to Velox the coach will recertify local Level 1 coaches and training and certify a new cadre of coaches at Level 1. These coaches will be the foundation of the SVGTTA’s new thrust in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Committee member, Philcol Jeffers, told the media, “the SVGTTA will be focusing attention on the holistic development of the individual, not just on the acquisition of Table Tennis skills.”

“The SVGTTA remains committed to bringing Table Tennis to all corners of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Graham told the media. Given the commitment of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Sport, Cecil McKie, to work towards the provision of one Table Tennis Board in each school in the country, there seems every reason to believe that the sport will thrive and eventually soar to the high levels being planned by the SVGTTA.