ITTF Hopes Week

2015 ITTF-Oceania Hopes Week & Challenge: 7 - 12 April

The 2015 ITTF-Oceania Hopes Week & Challenge is being hosted at the Auckland Table Tennis Association from 7 - 12 April. There are 20 players taking part; 16 from New Zealand, 2 from Australia, and 2 from New Caledonia.

Dejan Papic (Canada) is the ITTF appointed Head Coach and is highly experiences both at developmental and high performance level. He is being assisted by the following coaches, who provide a great geographical spread to take their learnings back to: Ebi Kleiser (Auckland), Matt Ball (Manawatu), Ben Duffy (Otago), Paul Henderson (Bay of Plenty), Grant Wilson (Canterbury), Cathy Gauthier (New Caledonia), David Lowe (Australia).

The least experienced member of the group is music teacher, Paul Henderson, who enthusiastically commented after the first session that there is "just so much to learn" in this environment. He noted that it was 'just like being back in New Orleans, immersed in the music, with sessions there in the morning, the afternoon, the evening and 2am, and so many things to pick up just by seeing it happening alongside you.'

The cheerful enthusiasm of the young participants suggested that it was very much the same for them.

The opening day was capped off by a presentation from former New Zealand Representative Coach and Player, Simeon Cairns, who is now an Associate Professor in Sports Science at AUT.

Simeon presented the findings from a survey of local representative table tennis players, investigating their understanding of good nutrition and their ability to put best principles into practice consistently. The coaches in the audience will take back a few ideas that they can put into practice in guiding developing players.

The players and coaches will continue with the training sessions and educational workshops until Friday.

On the weekend the players will compete in a tournament, aiming to earn themselves the right to represent Oceania at the World Hopes Event.