Has Table Tennis gone off the radar?

From all indications, something has gone fundamentally wrong with the administration of the sport of Table Tennis in St Vincent and the Grenadines. And if so, what?{{more}}

This question has been unanswered for some time now, as nothing seems to be forthcoming from the persons who have been charged with the responsibility of ensuring that Table Tennis has fervour and that there are vibrant activities.

To put things into proper perspective, Table Tennis has enjoyed a slumber party for the better part of the last twelve months. This sort of protracted hibernation, simply takes the sport into reverse gear.

And to make matters worse, the current Executive has outlived its tenure by more than a year.

Let us just press the rewind button for a moment to look at the events which have brought us to this stage.

Just a few days more than five years ago, a new Executive was voted in on a Saturday afternoon, at a meeting staged at the CW Prescod Primary School.

Then President Sean Stanley had resigned from the Association, which was riddled with discord, thus elevating Olanzo Primus to the top post.

After Stanley’s exit from the national loop, he proceeded to establish the Sean Stanley Table Tennis Academy (SSTTA).

Through his organization, Stanley staged several competitions, mainly geared at youngsters.

Additionally, the SSTTA inaugurated a Churches Table Tennis Competition and convened a Media Houses Competition, whilst the national body went about its business.

Struck with some resignations, the SVGTTA’s executive sought to fix its in-house business, with the incorporation of some fresh faces, and rightly so.

Taking a fresh guard in 2010, they went about charting a new course.

Among the plans were the establishment of Table Tennis as an ongoing sport in all communities in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

In addition, the Executive of the SVGTTA then planned to elevate the association to the status of a vibrant and dynamic national association.

The association also proposed then to get prominent persons to sit on standing committees and approve a technical coach to upgrade club coaches and re-certify existing level one coaches.

The latter was achieved to some measure.

In fulfilling one of its promises, in 2010, Technical Director of the SVGTTA Khalique Bailey attended the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Programme in the USA.

Bailey was mandated to develop a Grassroots Table Tennis programme for youths across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

To scaffold Bailey’s efforts, Egyptian Coach Ahmed Dawlatly conducted thirty hours of coaching certification to seventeen level one coaches.

Also Trinidadian Bob Roopnarine was here to conduct a short stint on some technical matters.

Last year, the SVGTTA hosted a Novice Instructors’ workshop and went ahead to bring the OECS Championships to these shores.

The National Championships, the Jim Maloney Classics and the Managers’ Competition were added to the list of tournaments put on by the SVGTTA.

St Vincent and the Grenadines entered a team to the Caribbean Championships in Guyana last year and three players journeyed to Mexico to be part of the Pan American Games Qualifiers.

Away from the national set-up, we have seen the formation of the Kallaloo Blazers Table Tennis Club, which in its pure sense, is good for the sport.

During its tenure, the SVGTTA lost the use of the Old Government Printery Building in Kingstown, but fortunately the AVESCO Club House at Arnos Vale became available and has become the hub for the local governing body’s activities.

The present state of affairs shows that Table Tennis’ confinement is restricted to a few persons sweating out at the AVESCO Club House at Arnos Vale.

Therefore, where should we go from here?

This column believes that the persons who currently have their names inked next to portfolios of the Executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association mean well.

However, they are submerged by family and work commitments, and thus cannot give enough creative energy and time for the betterment of Table Tennis on the local front.

It would therefore be for the greater good for those who have become weak and heavy laden to bow out and make way for those who can fill in the blank spaces.

Table Tennis needs to be administered urgently with CPR, otherwise its eulogy will be the next activity.