THE GUYANA Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has named a strong 34-member national Pre-Cadet table tennis squad to commence preparations in view of selection for the 8th Caribbean Pre-Cadet table tennis championships which will be hosted by Guyana from August 10 to 15.

According to a GTTA press release, the Association, under its late president and former Commissioner of the Guyana Police Force Henry Greene, gave its commitment and undertaking in 2011 to host this tournament.
The Pre-Cadet championships will engage players within the ages of 13 years and under and 11 years and under and served as the incubator for the development of regional table tennis since it commenced the beginning of the journey or career for many of our players at the Caribbean level
These championships provide Guyana the opportunity as host to showcase 32 of its players at this level, with an equal number of players from both sexes competing in each age group to make up that number, as two teams will be competing in each category.
In addition to allowing the GTTA to promote and work with our young talented players as an asset for future success and growth of the sport as we embark on to the road of excellence, growth and well-being of the game itself, the GTTA will be using this tournament as a catalyst to jump-start and market our national Cadet, Youth and Development programmes.
In this regard, the GTTA has already commenced inviting schools to witness the championships and engaging in strategies to involve kids, while they have also commenced training and competitions, programmes and marketing of these programmes to schools across Guyana.
Already teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Suriname have confirmed their participation; hence the GTTA selected a squad of players who have been actively participating in tournaments, organised by the GTTA and come from schools actively engaged in a table tennis programme.
The categories to be contested at the Caribbean Pre-Cadet tournament include Boys singles, doubles and Mixed doubles, Girls singles, doubles and Mixed doubles in the respective age groups.
To enhance the training and expedite the knowledge and skill transfer of the players in view to enhancing their growth potential and competitiveness for the championships, the GTTA would be embarking on having the Junior, Cadet and Senior players train with  members of the Pre-Cadet team.
This is being done to further improve the technical and tactical skills, reinforce fundamentals and improving confidence among other obstacles ahead of the Caribbean Pre-Cadet tournament, while the team has already commenced training under the tutelage and guidance of Linden Johnson, Idi Lewis, Lisa Lewis, Floyd Conway, Melissa Dow-Richardson, Mooniram Persaud and Godfrey Munroe.
However, in the Boys 13 years and Under and 11 years and Under, trials would be held to select the final eight players to represent Guyana depending the number of players who are available for selection in these two age groups.
Guyana National Table Tennis Pre-Cadet Squad reads: Boys 11 Years and Under from Tyriq Saunders, Terrence Rouche, Kaysan Ninvalle, Niron Bissu, Yeudistir Persaud, Hemant Dalip, Ty Dickson, Brandon Jaikarran, Navendra Persaud, Isaiah Layne, Khalid Glasgow, Anfernee George and Sherwin Atherly.
Boys 13 and Under from Miguel Wong, Jeremy Singh, Khalil Ninvalle, Jordan Conway, Sandor Kanhai, Vincent Henry, Khalid Gobin, Tyrese Jeffrey, Joshua Norton, Shamar Williams and Jamal Butts.
Girls 11 Years and Under: Salinas Jackman, Naveah Clarkston, Abigail Martin and Charlia Webb and Girls 13 Years and Under, Kristie Lopes, Priyanna Ramdhani, Simran Bissu, Davonna Bess, Britney Bunbury and Annabelle DeFreitas.