Table Tennis Day at City Park
The first National Table Tennis Day was celebrated in the sunshine in Centenary Square Bradford on Thursday 17th July. Several players from Haworth Hawks Table Tennis Club and from Bradford Grammar School demonstrated their ping pong skills and got members of the public to join in the fun. At least a hundred people of all ages picked up a bat and had a go at round-the-world competitions, beat the expert, or played with friends. There were people who’d never played before, and those that hadn’t played for years showed that it is easy to brush up on your old skills. Information on local clubs, summer courses and venues all around the Bradford district were on display, as well as Maddy Silberberg’s ‘Bling Your Bat’ entries in the National Competition run by Table Tennis England.
Maddy Silberberg (14) and Emily Mellor (11) start the day with a demo using ‘blinged bats’.
The event was organised specifically to promote Bradford Hawks Table Tennis Club which coaches boys and girls age 8 and upwards. There are spaces at the sessions held at Bradford Girls Grammar School, Squire Lane on Saturdays 1-3pm at a cost of £4 per session. To encourage the youngsters, there is a monthly trophy awarded for the most improved and hard-working player. Pictured is Leesha Ahir, aged 10, who has won the trophy twice in three months.
She is a pupil at the school and started off playing in the Friday After School club. Players at the club that show commitment and progress well in developing their skills will have the opportunity to go for trials to access Yorkshire Regional coaching sessions. For further information contact coach John Ainley on 07766 262957 or email [email protected].
If you would like a longer taster of Table Tennis over the summer, you could also book on to one of the Kings Camps three hour sessions that John will be coaching on 1st 8th 15th and 22nd of August at Bradford Girls Grammar School.
Judith Silberberg (July 23, 2014)