THE Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has endorsed the newly-formulated Linden Table Tennis Steering Committee as an affiliated zonal member of its family.The executive committee of the GTTA has been actively engaging, supporting and providing direction to the plans, work, activities and members of this committee, as part of its plans for the decentralisation of the sport.
Howard James, an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF level one coach) has been elected Chairman while Victor Wright has been elected to Vice-chairman.
Other members include Shavin Greene as General Secretary, Maurice Cummings as the treasurer and Paul Jones as the Assistant secretary/treasurer
Last Monday the GTTA president Godfrey Munroe visited Linden to listen to the plans and ideas of the LTTC and to outline the plans, projects and mandates of the GTTA.
The committee has set out some key initiatives as part of its plans/mandate to develop the sport in Linden which includes the hosting of a Novices (school teams) and Individual table tennis championships scheduled for March 16 at the Mackenzie High School Auditorium.
The central aim of the tournament is to stimulate students/players interest and commence a system to actively engage players in Linden and Region 10. The categories to be contested – Novices Team Championships, Novices Individual Championships
Meanwhile as part of the long-term projection the committee has identified the Mackenzie High School auditorium as a central area where six tables can be accommodated.
The committee has also set its sights on hosting regional and national tournaments as well as the hosting of a skills challenge, identification of new areas across the length and breadth of Linden, among other key initiatives, so as to have the sport played on a larger scale.
It has engaged the Director of Sport Mr. Christopher Jones for support and assistance in the form of competition tables, racquets and nets. Jones has already contributed 4 trophies for the School Novices Championships under the 50 Shades of Games banner.