Table Tennis Coaches set for the next level

Ten local table tennis coaches have successfully attained Level One status.{{more}}

They were officially declared Level One coaches on Thursday, August 12, after completing 30 hours of training with certified coach, Egyptian Ahmed Dawlatly.

With the new Level One coaches, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has reached the required 15 certified coaches needed to get a Level Two programme going, as stipulated by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

The Olympic Solidarity Course, which lasted nine days, netted five new Level One coaches, while five were re-certified, with eight attaining club coaches’ status and another, a community coach.

The new Level One coaches are Phil Jeffers, Romano Spencer, Kamal Hunte, Jeff Trotman and Terrance Marksman.

Robert Ballantyne, Kendol Charles, Joseph Carrington, Julian Sutherland and a lone female, Natasha Shortte, are the recertified coaches.

The 10 coaches must now complete another 30 hours of Table Tennis instructions.

Those certified as Club Coaches are Kalbert Springer, Leon Wickham, Cecil Gordon, Kendal Jackson, Elvis Gordon, Elvis Dublin, Tyrone Jack and Francois Clarke.

The lone Community Leader is Andrew Lockhart.

Additionally, the 19 coaches broke new ground as they were also trained in Para -Table Tennis, to give instructions to persons who possess physical disabilities.

The coaches were presented with certificates at a closing ceremony held at the President’s Suite at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Dawlatly, who is on his second visit to the state, having spent five months here in 2005, spoke of the enthusiasm of the coaches.

Also delivering remarks at the closing ceremony were Keith Joseph, Secretary of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) , and Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Sports, etc.

This is the 13th course completed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association through the Olympic Solidarity. (RT)