NSC/GTTA Summer Camp concludes

Aug 21, 2008 News

– to be used as pilot programme for schools

By Edison Jefford
The National Sports Commission (NSC) sponsored Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) seven–week Summer Camp for beginner players concluded yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

GTTA General Secretary, Godfrey Munroe told Kaieteur Sport that the forum forms part of the nursery for national players. He said many of the current senior and junior national players came through the same system.

“The programme has been the nursery that produced several national athletes for several years now,” Munroe said, adding that the programme also supplies the sport with “the nucleus” of their players for competitions.

The GTTA General Secretary informed that the camp had a body of female participants, which augured well for the sport in the future. In addition, Munroe said that the GTTA hopes to take such events to schools.

“We hope that the participants will continue in the sport. It was a good programme that could become the pilot for our schools’ programme,” he observed. The association’s schools’ table tennis agenda is expected to commence soon.

The GTTA is currently fine tuning the logistics for this aspect of their annual programme in an effort to decentralise the sport.

During the seven–week period, the young athletes went through both the theoretical and practical aspects of table tennis. Upon completion of the summer camp, each participant received a signed NSC and GTTA certificate.

Director of Sport Neil Kumar encouraged the parents that were present to maintain the support for their children as that would guarantee their success in the sport. He thanked them for also supporting the sports commission.

“The NSC will continue to support such programmes but I want to thank you parents for supporting your children,” Kumar said, while expressing gratitude for the commitment of facilitator and national coach, Linden Johnson.

The Director of Sport indicated that the programme had coincided with an International Olympic Committee and Guyana Olympic Association event. He pledged support for next year’s GTTA Summer Camp.