Teenage Table Tennis player hopes to make good at Caribbean Championships

Seventeen-year-old Vincentian table tennis player, Jessica Mc Carter has been in Grenada undergoing training as she seeks to improve her skills as she set her sights to stamp her mark on the Caribbean Team Tennis Championships in Barbados which opened on April 19 and closes on April 26, 2025.

SEARCHLIGHT caught up with the young Vincentian at the Youth Centre in Grande Anse, Grenada, and she explained about her stint in the Spice Isle.

“The training has been challenging,” Mc Carter said.

“It helped me to feel out different environments because back home we have a quiet environment and now it’s more noisy so you have to really focus on what you’re doing.”

Mc Carter spoke of the flexibility exhibited by her coaches saying ,” On certain days they’ll understand my frustration and be slack with me but on normal days they’ll be like … you need to get this done so no complaining.”

She spoke as well of having improved in her movements.

“ I haven’t been doing much movement and now I see in myself really moving for the ball and getting behind the ball and ready to play.”

Mc Carter remarked that young players, in order to realise their potential, “must also realise the fact that they have to train an average of eight hours a day in order to reach the top, it would call for a lot of sacrifices”.

“No matter what challenges come… your way, keep striving for what you want and not settle for something less than what you want because my journey hasn’t been an easy journey,” she added.

Mc Carter has been involved in playing netball, table tennis and volleyball, and has still found time to complete her SBAs, while studying for external exams, pointing out, “I think I did well so far.”

The teenager takes inspiration from the story of Shafiqua Maloney, “seeing that she had to struggle to train. I think that her journey was a very tough journey. It means a lot to me because … I have a similar journey to her…”.

Amanda John, who has been working with Mc Carter in Grenada ahead of the Caribbean Team Tennis Championships said although Mc Carter is from another Caribbean country, “I don’t see Jessica as an opponent necessarily, but I really see her as a fellow OECS comrade. The islands have always been close. We share resources all the time, and for us, we just want to see development”.