It's not every day that you get
to meet world class table tennis players. Yet alone English
world class players. Nor is it every day that you get to
watch them in action, shake them by the hand or have your
picture taken with them! But Club Chairman Graham Turner was
able to experience all of these things over the weekend
16/17 September at the ETTA National Volunteer Conference
held in the magnificent setting of the National Sports
Centre at Lilleshall in Shropshire.
|
An
array of stars present at the ETTA National Volunteer
conference Awards Dinner. From left to right, Carol
Moore, Paul Day, Matthew Syed, Don Parker, Katie
Parker, Jill Parker (formerly Jill Hammersley) and
Desmond Douglas.
All top England stars in their own right. |
A top quality weekend of
updates and recognition had been planned by the ETTA
including key note talks from ETTA Chairman Alex Murdoch,
Liz Nicholl OBE, Director of Performance for UK Sport,
Matthew Syed, former National and Commonwealth Champion, TV
Commentator and Sports Journalist, and concluding with a
rousing address from Lord Colin Moynihan, Chairman of the
British Olympic Association, looking forward to the London
Olympics 2012 and the opportunities for sport that
presented.
The weekend also included a
number of small group seminars and updates on diverse topics
such as coaching, child protection, facilities, volunteers
and funding. All led by specialists from within the ETTA.
But perhaps the highlights
came on Saturday afternoon and evening. First, in the late
afternoon Peter Charters (ETTA Vice Chairman - selection)
introduced past, present and future England stars, in the
form of Desmond Douglas, Matthew Syed and 13yr old Gavin
Evans. A display of table tennis excellence from these three
showed just what had been achieved in the past and what
potentially could be achieved again. It was great to
watch.
|
Clubmark
accreditation the mark of quality in sport. Awarded to
BVTTC who move up to become an Advanced ETTA
PremierClub for the first time.
The certificate was
presented at the
ETTA Awards Dinner featured opposite
 |
|
Then onto the evening, where
the ETTA had arranged a celebration Awards Dinner. Hosted by
Richard Yule the Chief Executive Officer of the ETTA (and
himself a former international table tennis star for
Scotland) and with an after dinner talk made with great
humour by Don Parker (former England team coach and himself
an international player). The highlight of the evening
included the presentation of awards recognising the
tremendous contribution made to table tennis by a host of
volunteers. The presentations included the recognition of
quality by a number of clubs who had now achieved their
Clubmark accreditation. Clubmark is Sport England's cross
sport accreditation for sports clubs with junior sections in
recognition of a quality club. speeches This event took place this
season under a new format. One of these was our very own
Baddow Village Table Tennis Club and your Chairman proudly
received the award on behalf of the Club and in doing so was
able to be caught on film with Matthew Syed!
|
Club
Chairman Graham Turner has the privilege of
meeting
England table tennis star Matthew Syed at the ETTA
Awards Dinner
and receiving on behalf of the Club, Clubmark
accreditation certificate |
All in all it was a great
weekend packed full of up to date news and information to
encourage all that table tennis really is re-discovering
itself in the UK and that with continued vision and effort
the objective of making table tennis the most popular indoor
sport in this country really is achievable.
