Table Tennis Scotland development day shows progress of the sport in the Highlands
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Scotland’s national side’s table tennis coach Stephen Gertsen says the development day held at Culloden Academy last weekend shows that the governing body is taking notice of the sport’s progression in the Highlands.
It was the first time that a Table Tennis Scotland affiliated event had taken place in the region, fuelled by the formation of a club in Inverness last year and the Highland squad entering the National Divisions.
Gertsen, based in Elgin, runs these sessions all around the country, and admits seeing a packed hall of 18 players was a proud moment.
“We had people from as far afield as Portknockie, Elgin and Alness, so it was a good spread of people from different areas coming to meet new people and play against different people, and really showcase the growth of table tennis in the Highlands,” Gertsen said.
“It was the first day that Table Tennis Scotland had ever put on in the Highlands.
“I’ve been up here for four or five years now, and when I first came up here there was nothing going on really.
“Little things were happening here or there, but there was no club, no structure.
“A few years on to see loads of people coming together for an afternoon of table tennis was really quite encouraging and rewarding.
“I was proud to see the amount of people who are interested in playing. There was a good mix of adults and young people, it was a really good day.”
Gertsen was helped out in coaching at the day by Inverness’s club chairman, Rae Jack from Alness, who also competes in the National League squad.
The next round of league fixtures take place in February, with promotion as champions from Division Six still a very real possibility.
That has been an important step for the club’s development, but Gertsen says the growth might mean a need for more people.
“What we’re finding is just that we need more resources,” he said.
“We’ll need to potentially train more coaches and more volunteers involved. It’s just trying to slowly keep building bit by bit, because we didn’t expect it to be so successful.”
