WATCH - Inverness Table Tennis Club set up junior development squad
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TOP table tennis players in the Highlands have been selected to a squad to help realise their potential to compete with the best in the country.
Inverness Table Tennis Club (ITTC) have established a junior development squad, selecting eight players who have shown commitment and skill capable of doing well at major tournaments in Scotland and beyond.
ITTC head coach Stephen Gertsen says the development squad consists of youngsters who have shown real promise in the sport.
He says the new development squad will allow these players to take on top players for their age group from other clubs, which he says will improve their skills on the table.
Gertsen says: "It is a newly formed squad and we have been trying to introduce new juniors to Inverness to try and build a scene.
"Some of the players have been playing table tennis for years and a bit more, they have been showing good progress and signs of dedication to become better in the sport.
"There are eight players in our junior development squad, we have plenty more juniors at the club, but we have decided to pay a bit more attention to these eight players.
"Four are going to the Scottish Primary School tournament in Perth this weekend and are showing good commitment as we are trying to train them up and improve areas on the table too."
As well as training at Inverness Leisure Centre on a Friday night, the junior development squad also trains at the Inverness Tennis and Squash Club on a Monday night.
Young players have already made an impact on the national scene, with three players having competed at the North of Scotland Tournament in Aberdeen.
They will also be competing at the Primary and Secondary Championship in Perth and the national championships.
Gertsen has spearheaded the growth of table tennis in the Highlands and Moray in recent years.
He hopes as the region becomes a stronger force in the future, north players can go on to make an impact at international level.
"Forty people, adults and children are at the club, playing socially and competitively.
"It has grown hugely in the last few years and it has started to build back up from Covid.
"One of the boys who is playing on Saturday, if he finishes in the top four, he has a chance of playing for Scotland.
"Longer term if they can practice hard and create opportunities, potentially they can go on to things like the Commonwealth Games in the future."
