China’s table tennis coach is considered to be the best coach in the world. This is subjective but currently from an outside perspective, when you coach the best players in the world that’s the perception.
Respect your coach:
Back in the late 90’s, I idolised top players but I had an even greater respect for their coaches. I’ll never forget hunting down Jean-Philip Gatian’s coach. Gatien was a World Champion (1993) and as a fellow lefty, I felt if I’m ever to become a World Champion myself. I need to learn from someone who’s taught a fellow lefty how to become a Champion!
Table Tennis Coach
Today as a coach myself, I realise what a huge role a coach has towards creating success for his/her players. And this has been highlighted even more so, recently. The Chinese supremacy seems to have declined drastically over the past few months. Former head Coach Liu Guoliang was pushed into a new role inside the Chinese’s Table Tennis Association. Liu had an aura and presence about him which kept players in check and coaches working together in harmony. I believe when someone is able to unite those around them, its a gift and one that must be respected.
Head Coach
Being a head coach requires so many skills to ensure success in his/her camp. But unfortunately many don’t realise or know the qualities required to be a top coach. And how a top coach is able to bring the best out of his/her players.
China’s Table Tennis Coach
It’s clear to see Liu’s past presence has had a big impact on China’s national team. The players seem lost and unsure where or what they are meant to do. The vision seems blurred and even the coaches are seemingly lost and angered causing an overall decline in China’s TT army.
What will China do and will they regroup? before the next major event such as the world table tennis event?
So… my message is to always respect your TT coach, regardless of whether they are China’s table tennis coach or yours. If they have given you, your club, or nation success, they must be respected for their work and achievements.
This Weekend, I was privileged to work with some of the best table tennis coaches in Europe! how makes these coaches some of the best table tennis coaches in Europe?
Mario Genovese –
From Malta, Mario’s record as a coach and player is extraordinary producing top-class players with very limited resources and facilities in Malta. Mario is a current world record holder with 22 Men’s singles National titles and is still capable of increasing that record. He was an international player for many years and a professional player based in Sweden. Currently, Mario is an ITTF level two coach and he knows and has worked with many world class players and coaches. Today Mario has produced Malta’s no.1 Table Tennis club and all the nations best players have come from his base over the past 10 years. For more information click here
Afonso Vilela –
From Portugal, started Coaching in a little place called (Madeira) famous for players such as Marcos Freitas. Afonso worked closely with Joao Monteiro, in a successful attempt to qualify for 2012 London Olympic Games. They were very proud to achieve it and Afonso was Joao’s personal coach at the Olympic Games. Afonso, went on to work with many clubs across Europe gaining vast experience in the sport. Recently he took a head coach role in India, where he coached a group of young players including world no.1 ranked Junior (Manav Vikash Thakkar). Afonso aims to have his own table tennis centre soon with plans in place to develop a full-time table tennis centre catering for all players. Alongside side a future vision of creating and developing a new batch of Portuguese Table Tennis Superstars.
Julien Girard –
From France, A former top junior and senior player himself decided he would shake the French system by producing top players outside of the national governing table tennis system. Julien believes in results, not accreditation and he wanted to prove it by investing in personal and physical investment. In France, you need to pay thousands towards a coaching diploma (to be a qualified table tennis coach). Julien redirected the money and invested it by taking himself to as many top clubs and coaches across Europe and Asia for 5 years. This was in pursuit of learning his current craft hands on, from the best in the world. Today Julien has taken a small club in a small town south of France to the top division (Pro A) with French players only. He has produced and developed 4 men’s singles titles in the past 5 years, with his players including; Alexandre Robinot, Adrien Mattenet, Jeremy Petiot and Stephane Oauiche. For more information click here
So, what have I learnt from the best tabe tenis coaches?
1. Attention to detail:
Often I go around England looking at table tennis clubs and coaches and they are content with basic play. The saying in England is “practice makes perfect” nothing could be further from the truth! It’s ‘perfect practice that makes perfect’, therefore we must look at perfecting our clubs and players not just allowing them to take part.
2. Secrets:
Each coach has one or two secrets by this guys have plenty because they are open-minded, willing and want to learn. They openly ask what do you do? and how do you do it? I often feel coaches in England don’t share knowledge and we don’t learn from one another. We need to have; open workshops, coaching collaborations and clubs competing against each other in a competitive way but with open arms when it comes to growth for our players and sport.
3. Experience:
You may have all the qualifications in the world but if you have not been on the job experimenting and trying out the theory’s you don’t know what works best. Each coach has their particular way but with experience, you can find ways that work better than others and that takes time to implement. You must go to other clubs and coach many players. Try to visit other countries to see different systems and philosophies. This will provide you with vital experience to truly succeed.
I have been blessed to work with these amazing coaches (some of Europes best table tennis coaches) and today we are called UNITED TABLE TENNIS COACHING (Team) We have a Facebook page and soon to have a website. Our aim is to grow and develop table tennis in Europe to compete with Asia but also find ways to beat them.
We want you to be a part of our journey, so please keep an eye out for our coaching seminars, videos, developments and coaching days across Europe which will be published soon.
Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors
Written by Eli Baraty eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis) Coach Me Table Tennis Instagram: _elibaraty Twitter: @elibaraty FB: Eli Baraty W: www.ebatt.co.uk E: elibaraty@hotmail.com M: 07900401144
How I uplift my player’s games by having table tennis targets on the table. I’m going to explain the benefits of my methods below.
I love coaching and the more players I coach the more I learn. But one thing seems to stand out with 95% of the players I work with. They all fear the opponent standing on the other side of the table.
The 5% of players who don’t fear the opponent have a secret!
When playing someone of our level or above we find ourselves, feeling uncomfortable and going for a little extra which often results in unforced errors. We often complain by saying I played badly today but in truth it’s our awareness of the opponent that causes anxiety, making it hard for us to win.
Table Tennis Targets
Learn to win rather than lose:
We are not always beaten by players of our standard or slightly above our level but commonly LOSE tight matches to those players. What do I mean? We fear our opponent in most cases and we tend to make unforced errors hence a loss rather than the player creating winners and beating us. We think too much in an attempt to foresee the future which disables our execution or forces an overload of information causing a poor shot selection and ultimately deliver a weak or failed shot.
Opposition awareness
Being aware of a player’s ability is good but it should not override your shot selection. If we think that our opponent has an answer to all our shots, then we won’t be able to beat them mentally and that is often half the battle. The aim is to execute and deliver your game with the best strategy possible. A game plan (can be changed) and is adaptable according to the situation but we must give ourselves the best opportunity of beating a player regardless of their ability!
So, how can we give ourselves an upper hand in executing what we can do, regardless of the opponent?
Here are the simple secret top players use to focus on their capabilities rather than the opponent’s repertoire.
Please note: top players will and can manipulate the ball in many different ways and you will need to adapt accordingly.
3x Table Tennis Target Tips:
You must focus on ball placement but it must be precise placement to ensure greater success. Pick a point on the table you wish to hit and aim there, in doing so your focus will shift away from your opponent. To enhance this skill place targets on a table and aim to hit them, notice what targets are easier to hit and take note of where you are hitting the ball from, (understand you angles) ‘scroll to the bottom of the page’. When you play a match, you can visualise the targets on the table and aim to hit one of them, depending on the ball given, your body position and angle you are hitting the ball form.
Target Focus
When focusing on a specific target your mind will hone in on the goal set and shift away from your opponent’s possibilities. You are only in control of your own shots and if you are unable to execute them due to fear of his/her reaction, then this will often lead to poor results your end. By placing targets in a practice session gives you the ability to visualise those targets in a real match which can help you to execute your shots. If the player can counteract your shots, then either you change placement or they are just too good on this occasion. Nevertheless, if you execute your shots at least you know where you stand rather than be dictated to, by unknown future events.
Take the ball as early as possible, this will give you less time to worry about what your opponent will or can do and it will also give your opponent less reaction time.
Lastly, use your peripheral vision, try to notice where your opponent is standing or itching to go towards then have your target in your mind and go to that specific zone.
These three tips will give you a more zoned mindset and provide a simple tool to beating players your level and above more often than not.
Place table tennis targets on the table when you train and make target hitting second nature when playing matches.
Here is a nice little target practice I use with my players (Filip Szymanski Polish International).
Sister’s death inspires ten-year-old table tennis prodigy. Miri Rosenberg took up the sport of Table Tennis in 2016 as a way to cope with the sudden passing of her sister, Liora.
Miri currently 10 years old has excelled in table tennis since the death Miri – Training with Eli Baratyof her sister, Liora, in 2016.
Maccabi Open Table Tennis Championships
Miri was recently crowned the country’s “most promising young Jewish table tennis player” just 18 months after taking up the sport. The award was given to Miri at the Maccabi Open (Jewish Table Tennis Championships).
Lauren and Stuart, (Miri’s parents) bought her a table for her ninth birthday, in August 2016. Mrs Rosenberg said she wanted to buy her daughter “something we could all enjoy as a family”.
Mrs Rosenberg said: “Miri was very young at the time, but table tennis instantly became her passion. I think it was something to give her a lift during a difficult time.”
Miri added that table tennis is helping her to process and move on from the tragedy, saying it is as if “she is playing with me”.
Hand-eye Coordination:
After finding that Miri had a knack for the sport – which Mrs Rosenberg puts down to “great hand-eye coordination”. Miri then joined the table tennis club at Finchley United Synagogue.
Miri’s development was rapid and she went on to win a medal at a Maccabi GB inter-synagogue competition. Miri now plays most nights of the week at different clubs and has been taken on by renowned table tennis coach Eli Baraty.
Despite being two years younger than some of her competitors, she reached the semi-final of the under-12 singles at Sunday’s Maccabi GB National Table Tennis Champions, held at Edgware London.
Miri in action with her new coach, Eli Baraty
Her parents and sisters Judy and Adina, cheered Miri at the event. They felt privileged to watch as Miri was handed the Yoram and Sylvia Katz Award. This award is given to the most promising young Jewish player in the country and is handed out annually.
Miri said her ambition is to represent Great Britain at an Olympic level and enjoy a top-level international career.
Mrs Rosenberg said: “It has all been quite a surprise – none of us are particularly sporty but she just has this talent. We are all very proud and happy for her and with her.”
Written by JC Newspaper and edited by Eli Baraty
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Its a daunting task finding the best table tennis coach for yourself or your child, especially in England.
Table Tennis Coaching for Kids
Table Tennis coaching for kids begins with nurturing your child’s learning process. Your son or daughter has shown some ability or possibly natural “talent” for the game. The next step would be to get a good coach for further development.
Miri with Eli Baraty her Table Tennis Coach
Finding a good table tennis coach
Finding a good table tennis coach for yourself, son or daughter can be like walking through a desert in search of water.
Here’s a guide to help you find the best table tennis coaching for you.
Tip 1: Find a club or Academy that has a low player to coach ratio.
There is an abundance of camps, academies, coaches and clubs out there that would all love to have your hard-earned cash. They may even have big names and famous past background playing careers. However, you need to do your homework and find out if your child will actually be coached by these so-called top coaches/players, or is your child in a group of many players overseen by an aspiring young coach who is mentored by a legend but has limited interaction with your child!
121 coaching (Private coaching)
Getting a one-on-one lesson if possible it’s a great way of advancing your child’s game. Of course, the price will depend on the coach which is dependent on location, past and present success. The advantages of a private coach are the same as in a school classroom; the one-to-one ratio ensures the teacher’s full attention and causes your child to focus on the teacher and their learning, not his/her classmates. Sometimes A two-to-one or three-to-one lesson can be even better, as the players may feed off of one another but beyond that, the learning becomes decreased. Therefore if your child is in a big group constantly their growth in development is reduced unless there is a ratio of max 1-8 players.
Tip 2: Find a self-developing coach.
If you have decided to appoint a coach on a 1-2-1 or small group lessons, you need to discern which coach is the right one for your child.
How to evaluate a good coach? Look at his/her resume and find out where they have coached, who have they coached, have they developed and moulded their coaching style over the years to keep up with the modern game?
DO NOT evaluate a coach form his/her qualification. Why? ‘you ask’ would you take a brain surgeon with the highest marks in England for his PhD and he has only done one surgery? or would you take a surgeon lower level PhD marks with 20 years of experience and 500 successful surgeries under his belt? The answer should be clear… Qualification gives the fundamentals and in a certain aspect grants permission to do what you do in your field, it does not state your level of coaching ability.
Tip 3: Sometimes what you see is what you think!
By this I mean, does the coach keep him or herself in good condition physically? Does he or she play regularly? Why does this matter? well for several reasons: (there are exceptions of course)
Can they keep up with the child when training them, or will they get tired and take many breaks?
Will they have the energy to make the session high intensity? If not, then the student usually responds in the same manner.
Does the coach still play competitively? If so be careful, as they may still be fully focused on themselves and just do the coaching for a little extra income and lack desire to make your child great. On the other hand, if they compete occasionally this can be great as they know how it feels to compete and how the game is evolving. This allows them to give advice using recent and personal match experience rather than just from the past.
Physical appearance can also play a huge psychological factor in self-confidence, and the best coaches do have a certain level of confidence.
If the coach demands hard work and discipline, does he or she follow that same principle? If not, your child will notice this immediately and use it as their personal excuse to adopt the same attitude.
Tip 4: Watch the coach in action.
If you are allowed ask a coach when their next training session is on and go have a look, watch them in action. If they have video tutorials on YouTube have a watch and see if you like their coaching style. Take note:
Was the coach on time? Did the lesson begin on time?
Did the coach have a plan and was he/she able to adapt and change if necessary?
Is the coach creative?
Is the coach engaging? good communication? uplifting, positive?
Most importantly does the coach care? Do they want their students to be the best they can be or is it just a job?
“Coaching is teaching, and some people are suited for it while others are not. In fact, some of the best coaches are those who did not ascend to the sport’s highest level.”
Tip 5: Your child’s perspective
Everyone is different and we all respond differently to things, therefore a simple recommendation is to ask your child what they thought of the coach? Often, they know if the coach is right for them. A good coach in most cases will be able to adapt to that child’s specific needs, character and learning style.
Tip 6: The Past has gone, the future is not here yet, so focus on the present
A club or Academy’s past is irrelevant, it’s a guide but does not determine the present state and the prospect of its future. Therefore, I recommend looking at the history of the coach and his environment and using that as a guideline. But more importantly look at what the coach is saying and doing, are they ambitious are they driven and do they still possess passion? Simple questions would be: What are your goals? How long do you expect to be at this club? What drives you?
I hope this has been a useful insight for people looking at getting a coach.
This Weekend, I was privileged to work with some of the best table tennis coaches in Europe. Learning from the best table tennis coaches opened my mind and has inspired me towards greatness.
Mario Genovese:
From Malta, Mario’s record as a coach and player is extraordinary producing top-class players with very limited resources and facilities in Malta. Mario is a current world record holder with 22 Men’s singles National titles and is still capable of increasing that record. He was an international player for many years and a professional player based in Sweden. Currently, Mario is an ITTF level two coach and he knows and has worked with many world class players and coaches.
Today Mario has produced Malta’s no.1 Table Tennis club and a big portion of the nations best players come from his base club. For more info. hittmalta.com
Afonso Vilela:
From Portugal, started Coaching in a little place called (Madeira) famous for players such as Marcos Freitas. Afonso worked closely with Joao Monteiro, in a successful attempt to qualify for 2012 London Olympic Games. They were very proud to achieve it and Afonso was Joao’s personal coach at the Olympic Games. Afonso, went on to work with many clubs across Europe gaining vast experience in the sport. Recently he took a head coach role in India, where he coached a group of young players. Including world, no.1 ranked Junior (Manav Vikash Thakkar). Afonso aims to have his own table tennis centre soon with plans in place to develop a full-time table tennis centre catering for all players. Alongside side a future vision of creating and developing a new batch of Portuguese Table Tennis stars.
Julien Girard:
From France, A former top cadet, junior and Senior French player, decided he would shake the French coaching system. Julien has produced many top players outside of the national governing table tennis system. He believes in results and not accreditation and proved it by investing in personal and physical investment. In France, you need to pay thousands towards a diploma (to be a qualified as a table tennis coach). Julien took the basic qualifications and instead of investing in higher qualifications invested the money in himself. By exploring the worlds top clubs and coaches for 5 years, where he was able to learn hands-on from the best in the world. Today Julien has taken a small club in a small town south of France to the top division with only French players. He has produced and developed 4 men’s singles titles in the past 5 years. Worked, developed and produced players such as; Alexandre Robinot, Adrien Mattenet, Jeremy Petiot and Stephane Oauiche. For more info. ppcv47.com
So, what have I learnt from these amazing coaches?
Attention to detail: I often visit clubs in England looking at clubs and coaches and they are content with basic play. The saying in England is “practice makes perfect” nothing could be further from the truth! It’s perfect practice that makes perfect, therefore we must look at perfecting our clubs and players not just allowing them to take part.
Secrets: Each coach has one or two secrets but these guys have lots because they are open minded willing and want to learn. They openly ask what do you do? and how do you do it? I often feel coaches in England don’t share knowledge and we don’t learn from one another. We need to have; open workshops, coaching collaborations and clubs competing against each other in a competitive way but with open arms when it comes to growth for our players and sport.
Experience: You may have all the qualifications in the world but if you have not been on the job experimenting and trying out the theory’s you don’t know what works best. Each coach has their way but with experience, you can find ways that work better than others and that takes time to implement. To truly develop your skills as a coach you must; visit other clubs and coach lots of different players, go to other countries and see different systems and philosophies, then you’ll have the experience to truly succeed.
United Table Tennis Coaching Team
I have been blessed to work with these amazing coaches and today we are called UNITED TABLE TENNIS COACHING (Team)
We have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com) and soon to have a website. Our aim is to grow and develop table tennis in Europe to compete with Asia but also find ways to beat them.
We want you to be a part of our journey, so please keep an eye out for our coaching seminars, videos and our elite coaching system. We will be hosting developments and coaching training days and camps across Europe which will be published soon.
Why I Coach Table Tennis, well it all started fromwatching a film which inspired me to play table tennis. From being a player I quickly fell in love with helping and guiding others inside the sport.
The Begining:
It all starts somewhere and the initial impact can shape the direction in which we ultimately go towards. Getting hammered by every opponent was not a pleasant experience, we all experience some sort of humiliation by certain individuals for not having good skills and that can be soul destroying. I remember progressing in the sport yet at the time my level was still low and after six months of playing I remember a common theme; I would ask good players to play with me and their response would be sorry “I’m playing x,y and z maybe later! or “you’re not good enough” “I’m tired” then go off and play with someone else! there were many more excuses and it dawned on me there and then, (if I ever become a top player, I’ll play with anyone..)
Coaching Miri, table tennis coaching 1-2-1
We all start at the bottom, of course, some progress faster than others but in reality, our starting point is virtually the same, ‘BEGINNER’ level. I began to coach table tennis when I was 18 years old and I was fortunate to inherit a coaching job from my coach (Gideon Ashison). I soon realised that coaching is much more than just correction of strokes and game development.
Coaching gave me the opportunity to help others in their game but most importantly believe in them, something I wanted as an aspiring young player.
Today I’ve coached many national and international players simply because: I Care I’m Passionate I have studied and never stop studying Table Tennis
I want to see players I coach regardless of age or level; learn,improve and achieve…
So, if you are really serious about your game, contact me so I can help you develop your table tennis.
Written by Eli Baraty
T: @elibaraty
FB: Eli Baraty
W: www.ebatt.co.uk
We forget the power of words, I took a group of players to a tournament today and I received a phone call from an assistant coach. He Said, “Eli, tell the kids not to stress, don’t worry and just play their game” I replied NO!!! Obviously, his intentions are/were good and he did not realise the power of words, but if I tell you… I don’t want you to think about the colour red, what colour pop’s into your head? red of course!
Telling your students not to stress and not to worry, subconsciously triggers stress and worry!
Choose your words wisely
Try to only use positive words when mentoring and coaching your students.
Everyone is different so how do we deal with different individuals?
Many years ago I went running at my local park when a 9-year-old popped out of nowhere saying “I can beat you in a race” I thought who is this little ‘Muppet’? But I felt sympathetic and the ‘foot race’ began! I won using a light jog and the young kid was disappointed in himself, but he quickly bounced back by saying “I’ll beat you at table tennis” I tried not to laugh as he had no idea I was. At the time a part-time coach and one of England’s best players at the time!
So I invite little Zak to my TT club and showed him that I slightly better by beating him, using my brick Nokia phone!
I was fascinated seeing a 9-year-old whom had only played once on holiday (yes once and he thought he could beat me), able to coordinate his hand effortlessly. He was able to get his bat to ball regardless of spin or speed. I know some may say there’s no such thing as ‘talent’ but he had a gift and I was certain of it! I was adamant that this kid would be something special and told his mum if you let me coach him he will be no.1 in England. A bold prediction I know but his ability to adapt and absorb information was second to none.
Table Tennis Community
Two More Table Tennis Players
A month later two new students entered my club one extremely confident ‘externally’ but clearly had some issues (anger management), his name was Guy. The third was a son of a former England player and a legend in my eyes when I was an aspiring young TT player. Reece, was trained by his dad but their relationship on the table broke down and his dad wanted me to take over.
Now I had three players: Zak a so-called natural, Reece an all-around ability and Guy poor hand-eye coordination.
Zak –
Was able to do what I told him at an instant but rarely trained and when he did he was lazy, or messed about at least that’s what it felt like! (Although you could say it was his way of learning by experimenting) He was strong-minded and had a great fighting attitude…
Reece –
Was relatively hard working and also possessed great ability but he needed to hone his skills and lacked self-belief. Possibly due to expectation put on him by his dad and matching his dad’s past achievements.
Guy –
Was the hardest working kid I’d ever seen! Unfortunately, his coordination was of a two-year-old. For example, I had to tie his legs with a piece of string at a certain length to keep them at shoulder width, rather than almost a ballet split position! this was alongside his dad holding his waist and free arm to possess the correct body balance needed for certain shots. Furthermore, I put barriers behind Guy so he wouldn’t drift backwards and I would give him visual, vocal, and technical instructions. Fortunately, he was willing to do whatever it took in order become a top player! He would train for hours on end before and after group sessions.
All three reached an incredible level nationally, the following positions were achieved no.1, 2 and 5. Given this information, I ask you to predict who reached what ranking in their respective age group?!
Specific training:
Mr talent –
I had to always think outside the box to engage and mentally stimulate him. This meant that I would stay up some nights without sleep preparing something different and special just so I could keep him happy and 9 times out of 10 he would find a reason for it to be a waste of his time!!! But I would challenge him by saying something like I’ve got over 50 different type of serves, I’m sure you could do all of my 50 serves, the question is can you do one extra, one that I have not seen before or one that I am incapable of doing and it’s unique to you?! (He did just that, and had one extremely special serve)
I would challenge his physical and mental skills alongside one another, for example; if I told him to do a normal drill he would get bored after two minutes so I would take a piece of paper and have Zak train while attempting to hit the paper and if he achieved it then he would have to fold it in half continuously. Then the challenge would be, giving Zak the option of placing the folded paper anywhere he wished, on their side of the table and attempt to hit it. This would become harder and harder as the paper got smaller and the location would be moved continuously. After 10 minutes of doing the exercises, Zak found a location which was virtually impossible to hit but legal and it just highlighted his maverick kind of behaviour. Zak was always challenged to think outside the box and when it came to the crunch moment he would produce some sort of magic that nor I or anyone could have taught him under those circumstances.
Mr all-round:
He enjoyed every training session and he would do his best to learn and do as he was told. The problem came when pressure was introduced, so I would constantly find scenarios that would put Reece under pressure such as “your dad won this tournament” that would instantly get him worked up and his face would turn red in anxiety to either achieve that target or he would go into a shell and crumble under that pressure.
This meant I would need to find the balance of when to pile the pressure and when to take it off to get the best out of Reece. I would always find a way of putting pressure on him via drills or matches. For example, his dad often watched him train, so I would say here’s an exercise, then go to his dad and say are you willing to pay out if your son fails? In general, he would agree. So I made the odds 10-1! I said Reece you have 10 chances to open up if you get 80% on or above I will buy you and your dad a drink. But if it’s less your dad will be buying me 10 drinks. As he got nearer the target I would increase the pressure by using verbal pressure words such as “in a tournament you know you would miss this shot” and any other verbal triggers I could think of. If Reece passed the test I would remind him of his success at tournaments by saying “remember when I bet you that you’ll get over 80% well show me that it was not a one-off. Reece learnt how to use the pressure of training and often said to me can you give me a trigger moment, which he would put into a real match situation.
Mr hard work:
Guy, was willing to do anything to win but his skill was restricted by his limited coordination and often his desire to win was unmatched by his technical inability. So I had to find ways in which to give him the opportunity of winning even though he may not have had the skill required compared to his opposition. I found two aspects; 1) his natural speed and 2) his awesome power. This meant I needed to constantly work on increasing his speed and hone his power to be used when the time was right. For example, I would say after the third shot I want you to go for it (boom, show them the power), eat lighting and crap thunder (Mickey from Rocky). I would do special drills such as multiball using two tables on Guy’s side giving him the ability to increase his speed while generating power. I went one step further, I would initially allow Guy to play backhands but as his speed increase, I limited him to forehands only. Guy had become so fast that no matter how hard his opponents hit the ball and no matter where they placed it. Guy, could get there and had possessed incredible retrieval ability.
Can one person overcome bigger opposition?
There was a local club rival and they had players of the same level and age as us (Barnet TTC at the time. I was the only coach at my club and they had, a head coach alongside 4/5 Chinese coaches and sparring partners. On paper we should stand no chance of competing, right? Wrong!!!
We often played each other in leagues and tournaments but more often than not we won.
How could one coach beat 5 coaches?
I believe this was mainly due to my coaching style versus there’s.
I catered to my player’s individual needs while they were coaching their players in a particular style like robots. Everyone would do the same drills and no one would be given the freedom to express themselves. It was a set regime that had to be followed or you were out! I quickly worked out their style and was able to guide and give my players a winning formula against their systematic match play.
3 keys to my coaching success which you can use:
1. Truly work out your player’s individual needs and ability and hone in on it. This may include their body shape, height, speed, strength, mentality, background mindset etc. 2. Understand that some will have more natural ability than others but that does not mean they cannot achieve a high level as seen from the above players 3. Challenge yourself as a coach by thinking outside the box rather than doing the normal training exercises. Patterns are everywhere but if you are willing to continuously develop and innovate then there is no pattern and your opposition/rivals will struggle to beat you. I have never met a top coach who has done it exactly by the rule book.
China’s Table Tennis VS Sweden
A quick story on point no. 3 the Chinese have dominated my sport for most of its existence but in the 80’s and 90’s they met their match, with a small country called Sweden. When the Chinese faced the Swedes they would tell their players to play against player 1 this way, player 2 that way but against player three who is regarded as the greatest of all time, it was a different story. He changed, moulded and adapted his game constantly and was so innovative, creating new shots that it was virtually impossible to predict his game pattern or style. So against player 3, the Chinese coach said: “do your best!”
Napolean Hill
I read a book by Napoleon Hill, he interviewed the likes of Thomas Edson and Henry Ford. After interviewing Henry, Napolean said, “how is this guy ever going to be a success” and after interviewing Edson, he said this guy can only be a success, after all, he was willing to fail over 10,000 times to finally create a light bulb! My point on this continues later…
England Table Tennis coach
I went up to an England selection coach at a tournament and said look at these three young players I’m working with. Zak was instantly picked to train with the England squad (U15), as for Reece, I was told he needs a little more work especially mindset and Guy, I was told he would never be any good and he’s a waste of time!
I was determined to prove this coach (a Muppet in my eyes for judging so quickly) wrong. He judged these three youngsters at such an instant which I didn’t agree with so I worked extra hard to make sure all three improved and within a year all three were training inside the England squad. Furthermore, I was given a job within the England youth development squad! You can imagine what I said to that England coach after all three were selected. Admittedly my thoughts which were spoken out loud didn’t go down too well and I found myself out of a job, Lol, oh well!
Henry Ford and Thomas Edison
Napolean judged both Henry and Edson according to what he saw and heard in the complete opposite! But his judgement was only 50% correct as both achieved greatness as we all know! The England coach judged all three different but all three achieved England stature! The moral, never judge your players at an instant and provide them with your best regardless of your personal opinion.
Zak reached no.1, Reece no.2 and Guy no.5…
We can all achieve greatness if we’re willing to step into the uncomfortable situation and work through it to develop regardless of our circumstances
One of England’s best young table tennis coaches says they can, and believes he has the recipe for success.
Every time I tell people that I’m a table tennis coach and former top player, their response is invariably this: ‘The Chinese are the best. Can you beat the Chinese?’
A top coach changes your game a great coach changes your life
The Dream Began
I started playing table tennis in the ’90s and was fortunate to witness three Europeans win the men’s world singles title (Swedes Jorgen Persson in 1991, Jan-Ove Waldner in 1997 and Frenchman Jean- Philippe Gatien in 1993) as well as an Olympic singles title (Waldner in 1992). I also saw Sweden become the last nation to beat China in the men’s team event at the 2000 World Championships. I dreamed of becoming a world champion myself but that was too far-fetched, having only started playing the game when I was 14 years old. So I turned to coaching as a profession and I am still a full-time coach 16 years later. I have produced countless national team, doubles, male and female singles title winners. But my ultimate goal is far greater than national success.
My vision is fixed on defeating China.
I previously played in Germany, France and Belgium and saw the best table tennis set-ups in Europe. I believe they all lack the full infrastructure needed to develop Olympic and world champions. There are various full-time centres but they are not structured in a way that allows players to develop their game throughout their career, especially beyond the age of 18. Even for those with a structured system, there seems to be lack of innovation, passion and most importantly motivation. They have a defeatist attitude: “China is too good, so what’s the point?!” Where’s the gap?
Table Tennis Centre/Club
I currently run a table tennis academy in Harefield in the London borough of Hillingdon which caters for students aged 11-19 (it also has on-site boarding allowing players from all over the world to stay there while they study and train). Here they receive regular table tennis training alongside their education. But we also need top-level coaches from the grassroots level who can develop players from the age of five through to 10. They are then technically well developed and can build onwards from these solid foundations. Only then should they be passed on to a full time set up such as The Harefield Academy, which has a full-time coaching team including myself. Here, they are able to train regularly before, during (in PE lessons and during classes on subjects that they are not taking further) and after school.
Personal Table Tennis Attention
They get personal attention on either a one-to-one basis or in a small group of up to four players. After school, they can then join a larger group comprising the whole table tennis squad, for a few hours. This is where teamwork, ethics and personal development are encouraged and a variety of styles is integrated into the coaching. It’s an effective set-up but what happens before kids join the Academy and after they leave? This is where my attention are now focused. I am collaborating with The Harefield Academy to try and establish a dedicated table tennis centre of excellence within the school grounds. While we are still in the early planning stages, this is an exciting opportunity. The centre would host local, national and international players and cater for national and international training camps and European matches. Such a facility would provide a clear pathway for young aspiring players, fulfil their needs from a young age and crucially allow them to continue their development even after they leave school.
Englands current table tennis situation:
The here and now currently in England, we have many exceptionally talented players who dream of pursuing a career in table tennis. Sadly, they either quit before the age of 18 or at the end of their junior years. In some cases they leave home to chase their dreams elsewhere, heading to the likes of Germany, France, Poland etc. Why should this talent have to go abroad? Clearly, I believe they shouldn’t.
Englands Men’s Table Tennis Team
England’s table tennis team have actually performed exceptionally well over the past two years, resulting in three men now being ranked inside the world’s top 100. They also finished third at the 2016 World Team Championships and reached the quarter-finals at the 2016 Olympics, losing out to China.
Despite the system
All three players in the England team left the country in their teens, in search of a higher level of training and a more financially rewarding table tennis system. It’s a sad indictment on a country that not only invented table tennis but has also had three World Champions: Fred Perry (1929), Richard Bergmann (1939, 1948, 1950) and Johnny Leach (1949, 1951). Indeed, throughout those years the World Championships were often held at Wembley with tens of thousands spectators flocking to watch. Back in trend:Away from the competitive side of things, the sport is actually thriving in England. With tables popping up in more and more public spaces and bars being themed around the sport, table tennis has become trendy. It is also being celebrated for its long-term health benefits, with the increased blood flow to the brain while playing said to help conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Structured system
All we need now is a structured system to not only keep our players on home soil but also help them to compete with the absolute best. My vision is to create a bulletproof infrastructure by raising the funds to build a centre that will provide a complete pathway for the table tennis players of tomorrow. Despite being a coach with limited resources and access to only a small window of a player’s career, I have been able to produce many of today’s top England players. I believe that with a good team and infrastructure in place, China can be beaten and England can be crowned world champions once again. I’m looking for help, not only to make my vision come true but also to make table tennis great again, inspire our youth and give them the best possible chance of becoming the world’s best. If you’re interested in helping make table tennis great, get in touch: @EliBaraty
Written by Eli Baraty (Published in various other location ‘Sport Magazine’ ITTF)
Afonso Vilela:
