Table Tennis England has teamed up with LinQsport, who have developed an app which helps players find somewhere to play – and an opponent to take on.
At a time when it can be difficult to get on the table, the app will promote the chance to ‘LinQ’ up with friends and playing partners and play the game we love.
It will also promote the benefits of an active lifestyle on physical and mental wellbeing and help to build and strengthen sporting communities.
The free-to-use app will provide opportunities for anyone to play table tennis through:
- A table-finder function, showing all publicly available table tennis tables across England
- A LinQup functionality, which enables people to find and connect with others locally who want to play
- A chat function, enabling users to communicate and create a history between themselves
- A host can create a group and add others to it for a group LinQup. This functionality can benefit table tennis clubs when arranging events or other activities.
Table Tennis England has provided information about tables across the country to LinQsport so they can be included in the app, and will promote the app in the table tennis community. The partnership will initially run in pilot areas around the country in the new year (within any coronavirus restrictions). We will continue to work with LinQSport to share information and further develop the app.
LinQsport was founded by three table tennis players – including Commonwealth Games 2002 team gold medallist Terry Young, senior England international Darren Blake and England Youth international Leeroy Pye, who played professionally in France into the senior ranks.
Current England No 1 and world No 15 Liam Pitchford is one of the flagship ambassadors for the app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
Liam said: “I think it’s a great concept not just for table tennis but for all sports involved. It will help table tennis players connect with each other and be able to play more easily, which I believe will attract more new players to the sport.”
Other table tennis ambassadors include British para athletes, Welsh and Scottish athletes and England internationals. The full list of ambassadors can be found here.
Table Tennis England Chief Executive Sara Sutcliffe said: “An important part of our mission is to make it easier for people to play table tennis wherever and whenever they want to.
“This is an exciting partnership which makes that happen by combining LinQsport’s technological know-how with our knowledge of the landscape of our sport.
“The app is an exciting development which will help people to play our sport and promotes the health benefits of an active lifestyle and social interaction – things which have rarely been in sharper focus than they are now.”
LinQsport co-founder Leeroy Pye said: “After three years of modelling our business, it’s with great pleasure that we are able to partner with Table Tennis England to drive increased participation through our technology.
“Table Tennis played a key part for the founders of LinQsport through their life having played professionally and representing England for many years throughout their junior and senior careers.
“Working with Table Tennis England is a perfect match and we cannot wait to add value to a sport that is loved by participants once connected to it. We feel LinQsport will be a strong enabler for Table Tennis England in our mutual quest to raise the profile and drive players to tables nationwide.”
The app has also impressed clubs, thanks to the possibilities of attracting new players into the sport and the potential to develop into a tool for managing club sessions.
A spokesman at Archway Peterborough TTC said: “Such an innovative app. People are forever trying to find the right level of challenge, fun and sports groups. It has never been easier to LinQup, keep fit, spar or train and find the correct level of competition via the LinQsport app.”
A spokesman at Norwich TTC said: “The LinQsport app enables our members to easily sign up for the sessions they want to attend without long email exchanges, and allows the club to manage numbers. When ability to take payments online comes on board, it will make things even easier for us, and less admin during the session which means more table tennis!”