County Durham Sport Awards – Contribution to Sport Winner
Tony Taylor has achieved an outstanding level of success over 45 years at County and National level as a player, coach and volunteer. Tony has been involved in establishing clubs at Sacriston (Club of the Year last year) and Lanchester. He has been the Treasurer of Durham and District TT League from 1985 to 2002 and Treasurer of Durham County TT Association for almost 20 years to the present time. In 2010 he became Durham County Secretary for the English Schools TT Association.
Tony has played TT in the Durham League, Sunderland League and Northumberland League and currently plays in the first team for Brandon. He obtained his ETTA Level 2 coaching qualification in the early 1990’s and in 2008 Tony was employed by the English Table Tennis Association to develop table tennis in the North East, before finally retiring in 2013.
In 2013 he helped to establish Brandon and Byshottles Table Tennis Club to assist a German family with a talented son who later became Sunderland under 13 Champion. This Club has expanded rapidly and was voted Club of the Year 2016 by the Sunderland TT League and now has 7 league teams and members competing at national level.
Tony has been working hard to bring a Men’s International Match to Durham at The Meadowfield Sports Centre. If successful, this will bring much recognition and financial benefits to Durham.
Tony has encouraged a whole community approach to table tennis, with Brandon TT Club running sessions on Move into Sport, Alzheimer’s Club, recovering alcoholics, as well as promoting pathways to young players playing at national level.
A thoroughly well deserved contribution to Table Tennis award for Tony! Well done!