PRESIDENT of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Godfrey Munroe is looking forward to the implementation of a nationwide schools coaching programme to be staged in the new school term.Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Munroe said: “In terms of time frame, we might start the training in the new term and some kind of implementation with the coaches working the second month in the new term and going full blown after September.”

According to the GTTA President, the areas chosen for the pilot programme are Regions 10 (Linden), 4 (Georgetown) 5 & 6 (New Amsterdam and Corentyne) and Region 7 (Bartica).

The top GTTA official said: “We feel this is a transformational project that will truly transform the game, because it has to be developed along the lines of a mass participation,” noting well that “the examination period for the Caribbean Secondary Schools Examinations (CSCE) period will inhibit us.”

However, Munroe says the body has worked out its kinks and feels that the approach is positive adding that the programme, “Basically seeks to pilot table tennis in about 90 schools with hired coaches visiting schools, interacting with the students in the curriculum basis.”

The programme is being sponsored by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Ministry of Education (MOE) and the GTTA.

According to Munroe, “The central theme is orienting the students to the game of table tennis, teaching them the fundamental aspects, with the aim of creating school teams and leagues, culminating into the National Championships.”

The table tennis boss feels that move would allow the GTTA to have athletes at an age group and skill level that would be more competitive internationally, noting that the target group would be between ages 6 to 15 years with a team of at least four players at the under-11, under-15 and under-18 levels.

“Already the tables have been procured coming from India, racquets, balls, physical preparation equipment which will reside with the coaches, robots, ladders, cones, parachuting and aerobic balls things of that nature,” informed the GTTA president.

He continued by summarising the plans, saying ultimately, the GTTA will basically have coaches who live in and around these schools running the programmes so as to make it easier.

This, he admitted, may not be the ideal in all situations, but proposed a cluster-based approach with a central venue as a way to combat the issue of non-resident coaches.

He also observed that “if you can’t get a coach to work within the school because he might be gainfully employed we might got to use the after school and weekend,’ adding “Once the hours are supplemented in terms of teaching them, we are happy with that and the stipend could be extended to them.”

But he added: “We don’t want to make the imposition; we will just monitor and give advice. You’ve got to use what is particular to you.