News

Hi everyone,

Thanks

• Many thanks to our club members who have continued to pay club fees despite not knowing when we would return.
• We are very grateful for this support and would understand if you change your mind at this time.

JWSC

• At the moment we have had no further updates from JWSC on when we are likely to return to the facility.
• While other clubs admittedly some with their own premises and others in schools are up and running in some capacity.
• We still await confirmation from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture on dates we can plan ahead for in the first instance.
• On our return we think given the guidelines our set up will be similar to those in links below.
  • https://youtu.be/06X7b_1MEQI
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zR7l7kFwVw&feature=youtu.be

Club Coaches

• On a positive note the club coaches have been meeting on a weekly basis to discuss the guidelines and plan for our return.
• We do face challenges in implementing the guidelines as does every other club and facility but we will get there.
• Delighted we have put in place as requested by Table Tennis Scotland two Covid Officers Fergus and Keith to ensure that we have everything in place.
• At the moment we have recovery plans, risk assessment templates and have purchased the necessary equipment to ensure we have a safe return when the time comes.

School links

• We are hoping in the coming weeks to provide club videos for our local schools to help promote the sport and our club.
• Robbie and Luke have agreed to help in putting together the videos which we hope will help encourage school pupils to take up the sport.

Club Social Media

• In the coming weeks we will feature on our club social media pages information on what we do as a club and why we do it.
• League ladder, Senior league squad, Butterfly Skills Club App etc.
  • https://twitter.com/ekttc
  • https://ektabletennis.com

First Aid

• Brendan and I completed our refresher first aid courses online last Saturday.
• While Chris and Robbie will update their certificates on 19th September.

Finally

• Missing TT? Here’s a podcast Sunday Table Tennis Live worth a listen involving top coaches and players
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ttfit/id1516275819
• Trick shot for those with a table at home -enjoy.
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUe0AsniTp/?igshid=1oiq9eukekui7

Thanks for your support

Peter

Ever wondered why we do certain activities and work on particular skills on club nights? Well despite perhaps looking like we make it up on the spot it is the product of short and long term planning of our coaching group! The group was formed roughly 2 years ago when the club was working with UWS to offer student placements that we had to manage, in addition to supporting our other coaches with qualifications such as UKCC.

The group originally meet four times a year where we would set out overarching objectives for the coming months, in addition to outlining what themes each Friday night session would take (such as movement, multi ball, serves etc). Working in this way has allowed for each coach to get opportunities leading sessions and making sure we are offering a well-balanced programme to develop each part of a player’s game across the year. Some examples of wider implementations of the group include: introduction of the ladder nights, player of the month award, mini sessions on topics such as sport nutrition, and regular video analysis.

In more recent times, the coaching group led to our weekly lockdown sessions across April/May (quiz, virtual rally, Stephen Gertson workshops, and parent’s challenge). Currently the group are meeting weekly to work on our return to sport plans and getting us safely back ASAP. Moving forward we look forward to working with new volunteers and leaders who have registered for pop in and play, in addition to helping develop new coaches and increasing our representation in the West of Scotland Senior League.

Butterfly Skills Awards are primarily intended for the young player between the ages of 7 -16. However, they are also suitable for adults just starting to play the sport, or improve their play. The programme includes adaptations for disabled players. The aim is to assist in the development of basic table tennis skills in a fun and safe environment.

By the time a player has worked their way through to the highest level, they will have all of the skills necessary to compete with confidence. For each level completed players receive a certificate and a sleeve of balls too!

Enjoy Butterfly Skills programme for new and existing members on our return. We know many of you are keen to get up to the next level, looking forward to it.

Hi Everyone,

South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture have advised us of their recovery plans for reopening of the John Wright Sport Centre.

However we await confirmation and guidelines from JWSC and our governing body Table Tennis Scotland before we can confirm precise details.

Hopefully from Monday, 21 September, John Wright Sports Centre will open its doors. See link here!

We are delighted that Fergus Maitland has agreed to be our club COVID-19 officer to oversee any COVID-19 related guidelines on our behalf going forward.

Best wishes

Peter

We hope this correspondence finds you all safe and well.

At what would normally be the time the club returns from its summer break, we find ourselves still in the midst of the greatest challenge faced by recent generations. When we last spoke we were running weekly Skype sessions to engage members, as well as using the time to develop coaches through weekly online modules and exercises.

Reflecting on this now, please allow us again to give our thanks to all who took part in those sessions, especially those who took a leadership role in hosting certain sessions.During the most difficult period, it was a great source of positivity to see how you took on those as an opportunity and experience. After all, the sport is what connects us, but we feel that has been transcended and strengthened due to those sessions. For example, our workshops with Stephen Gertson were a first of its kind and have since been commissioned by Table Tennis Scotland and rolled out across the country!

It was decided to honour our traditional summer period, take a break, and see how we would be placed on our return. Fast forward a couple of months and the outlook is much improved. Nationally we are into phase three of the route map out of the crises, schools returned this week, and most important the transmission of the virus has significantly dropped and allowed many parts of society to return. However there is still a long way to go, so instead of coming back to plan our league season and weekly sessions, we instead have to find a way to plan our return to play full stop.

The current indicative date for indoor facilities to reopen from Scottish Government is September 14th. In comparison to outdoor sport, indoors has been identified as a far greater risk, hence this timeline. Unfortunately it is also far from a guarantee that we will be able to return at that time. In conjunction with other sports, we will need to work closely with both the governing body and facility providers at SLLC to carefully plan a safe return that is viable for all parties.

Our commitment is to manage expectations, communicate clearly with you as frequently as we can, and plan appropriately through each potential phase of return.

Our coaching group have reconvened their weekly meetings and our annual committee schedule will start from August 24th. Both of these will be focused on updating plans and correspondence on a weekly basis. We appreciate that this does mean a continued wait to return playing in comparison to other activities. As such we ask for your continued support, providing a pivotal indicator that will see us return better than ever.

Our intention is still to provide opportunities to connect with members in the interim period, but note that there is scope for more than online sessions now than there was in the spring. We also have the ability to meet in smaller groups outdoors so our first plan is to organise a social catch up to see how we are all getting on, offer up kit to take home for practice, and chat through our plans for the clubs return over the coming period.

Updates on that will follow soon, for now if you can briefly reply to Peter’s email to let us know how you are getting on and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Best wishes to you all

Peter and the team

Good Morning,

Hope you are all safe and well.

Tuesday Challenge June 9th – EKTTC Coaches Q&A Live on Skype

• Thanks to everyone who joined the call on Tuesday hopefully you enjoyed the craic!!!

Thanks

• Many thanks to everyone for your commitment and support over the past few months much appreciated.
• We will take a break for now and keep you posted on any updates we have during that time.

Finally – Amazing point

• See video here!

Take care

Peter

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all safe and well.

Tuesday Challenge June 2nd – Stephen Gertsen Live on Skype – Tactical Awareness

• Delighted with the workshop Stephen presented on Tactical Awareness.
• Our players and coaches do not have access to someone of Stephen’s experience on a regular basis and its best that we make the most of the opportunities when they come along.
• Both workshops have been useful and of benefit to the club.

Tuesday Challenge June 9th – EKTTC Coaches Q&A Live on Skype 7pm

• This Tuesday we plan to have a Q&A with club coaches.
• A good opportunity for everyone to put their thoughts, ideas, suggestions or just ask general questions of the coaches on the club future or sport and we will do our best to respond.
• When on Skype we need everyone to put there mic on mute when we start the challenge and would like to encourage you to comment through chat option.
• See this link on how modify your settings.

Committee Meeting Monday June 1st

• Many thanks to those who attend our Committee meeting last Monday.

Club Fees

• Thanks to members who are still paying club fees – it is much appreciated.

Finally Ma Long v Tomokazu Harimoto – highlights of 3 x classic matches

• See Video 1 here…
• See Video 2 here…
• See Video 3 here…

Thanks for your support

Peter

Tuesday Challenge June 2nd – Stephen Gertsen Live on Skype 7pm – Tactical Awareness

• We are delighted Stephen will join us again with a presentation on Tactical Awareness – TONIGHT at 7pm
• Always interesting to listen to Stephen and his thoughts on the game.
• Great turnout for last presentation and we expect this one to be no different.
• Hopefully as many club members as possible can attend.
• We will send a Skype link out before 7pm tonight.
• When on Skype we need everyone to put there mic on mute when we start the challenge and would like to encourage you to comment through chat option.
• See this link on how modify your settings.

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all safe and well.

Tuesday Challenge May 26th – Butterfly Skills Silver Improver – Robbie MacKenzie Live on Skype

• Many thanks to Robbie and Scott on completing Butterfly Skills Silver Improver Level on Tuesday night.
• Scott has now completed Butterfly Skills Bronze and Silver Improver Level under the guidance of Robbie which is great and good fun.
• Will Scott want to go for Gold to complete a hat- trick?
• Watch this space.

Tuesday Challenge June 2nd – Stephen Gertsen Live on Skype 7pm – Tactical Awareness

• We are delighted Stephen will join us again with a presentation on Tactical Awareness.
• Always interesting to listen to Stephen and his thoughts on the game.
• Great turnout for last presentation and we expect this one to be no different.
• When on Skype we need everyone to put there mic on mute when we start the challenge and would like to encourage you to comment through chat option.
• See this link on how to modify your settings.

Committee Meeting Monday June 1st

• Chris will send out a Skype link to invite those who wish to attend.

Finally – Two excellent YouTube videos shared from Bill: 

• JO Walder and Jorgen Persson excellent training video.
• Chinese kids battle it out in thrilling in U10 final.

Thanks for your support

Peter

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all safe and well.

Tuesday May 19th – WOS Senior League Review

• Thanks to all the players and coaches who attended our virtual chat to review season past.
• Delighted with the response.
• Euan couldn’t have summed up the season better in his report.
• We are very grateful to Euan, players and parents for their contribution this season.

Tuesday Challenge May 26th – Butterfly Skills Silver Improver – Robbie MacKenzie Live on Skype 7pm

• Robbie will coach his dad Scott on completing Butterfly Skills Silver Improver Level on Tuesday night.
• Scott having already completed Butterfly Skills Bronze Improver Level under the guidance of tough coach Robbie.
• We look forward to a very entertaining challenge for both.I will send a Skype link out before 7pm on Tuesday.
• When on Skype we need everyone to put there mic on mute when we start the challenge and would like to encourage you to comment through chat option.
• See this link on how modify your settings.

Tuesday Challenge June 2nd – Stephen Gertsen 7pm Live on Skype 7pm – Tactical Awareness

• We are delighted Stephen will join us again with a presentation on Tactical Awareness – looking forward to it .

Committee Meeting Monday June 1st

• Chris will send out a Skype link to invite those who wish to attend.

And Finally….

• Paul Drinkall Q&A
• Always interesting to listen to top players in our sport and in this country they don’t come much bigger than Paul Drinkall.
• See video here

Para Class 7-10 Final

• See video here

Thanks for your support

Peter