Celebrating 50 years…
The British Columbia Secondary School Table Tennis Championships (BCSSTTC)
Above, header image:
from the 2018 BCSSTTC tournament, held at St George’s School.
The Junior Development branch of the BCTTA has been active in helping our talented kids become future champions since its inception in 1973. In that year, led Dr. Chandra Madhosingh, the BCTTA sponsored the inaugural British Columbia Secondary School Table Tennis Championships (BCSSTTC) tournament. In 2023, the BCSSTTC tournament will run its 50th edition, and as in previous years, legions of young aspiring table tennis players will experience their first serious competition, a well-organized event that brings out dozens of high school teams from all over the province. The 50th BCSSTTC takes place on March 3 and 4, 2023 at Moscrop Secondary School, 4433 Moscrop Street in Burnaby. This exciting event is open to the public and the organizing committee invites you to come by and cheer for your fave team. Expect to see future champions in action including current members of the BC junior team squad!
The BCTTA will be there to cover the event, and our communications director, William Vrabel, a participant in the first BCSSTTC tournament in 1973, will award the medals to the event’s winners on behalf of the board of directors.
Next week we’ll be publishing an article on this year’s event, complete with photos and results!
True Table Tennis Tales
I was the worst player out of a team of 16 representing Van Tech at the inaugural BCSSTTC tournament, held in the spring of 1973 in the gym at Vancouver's Strathcona Community Centre. I was so green I couldn't decide between a shake hand or pen hold style grip. I might have flailed through a match or two, I don't recall. But something formative occurred that Saturday afternoon in that crowded gym. Dr. Chandra Madhosingh walked over to to invite me, a completely novice player, to be part of a junior development program the BCTTA was starting at Strathcona Community Centre. I was gobsmacked! Maybe Chandra saw beyond my awkward strokes a real passion for the game. I never missed a session starting that spring and by the time next year's BCSSTTC tournament rolled around, I was by far the best player on the Van Tech Team! Shortly thereafter, with essential support from the BCTTA through programs, clinics and coaching, I began entering tournaments, developed a ranking and was appointed to the BC Junior Team Training Squad, from which the BC Junior Team would be selected. Through hard work, great coaching, and awesome peers to practise with (Eddy Lo lived less than a mile from me and had a table in his basement), I made the BC Junior Team in 1977 and we went on to beat both powerhouses, Ontario and Quebec, to become the national junior champions.
The 2023 Sunrise Soya Foods BC Secondary School Table Tennis Championships will be held at Moscrop Secondary School at 4433 Moscrop St, Burnaby, on Friday & Saturday, March 3rd & 4th
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