The Junior Development branch of the BCTTA has been active in helping talented kids become future champions since its inception in 1974. In that year, led Dr. Chandra Madhosingh, the BCTTA sponsored the inaugural British Columbia Secondary School Table Tennis Championships (BCSSTTC) tournament. Forward to 2023 where this year the BCSSTTC tournament will run its 50th edition, and as in previous years, dozens of young aspiring table tennis players will experience their first serious competition, a well-organized event that brings out high school table tennis teams from all over the province.

That said, an ongoing major goal of the BCTTA’s Junior Development branch is to get table tennis into more schools, both high schools and elementary schools, and we hope to report numerous successes in that important endeavour this year. Table tennis has a lot to offer children of all ages. There are few barriers to access and the physical and mental benefits for children are numerous, as many of you who have kids who play table tennis can attest.

Another barrier the BCTTA is working to overcome is the lack of organized table tennis programs in the broader community. Many children who want to take up table tennis cannot find organized programs in their community outside of schools. Rarely do community centres offer organized table tennis programs for kids beyond including a ping pong table in the games room. We will be reaching out to community centres this year to encourage more table tennis for kids.

While the BCTTA will work deligently to promote table tennis for kids, you can help, too. As a parent of a kid with an interest in the sport, your job is to ask, demand, cajole and do whatever you can to convince your local school or community centre to embrace a table tennis program for children. With your help and persistence, kids like yours can grow up to be an Olympian like Ivy Liao or Andre Ho!