Table Tennis head mandates resuscitation of the sport in Linden

With the mandate coming from the President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Henry Greene, a steering committee has been established in Linden with the aim of resuscitating the sport there.

The committee was formed last Thursday at the Linmine Constabulary Hall during a meeting which was attended by Senior Vice President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Harold Hopkinson; Junior Vice President, Dr Pradeep Balram; and Public Relations Officer, Patrick Triumph.

Tasked with the responsibility to resuscitate the game in the mining town are Lethem Wilson, Robert Langevine, Joe Chapman and Judy Gravesande– Noel, along with table tennis coaches Messrs Raynor ‘Copter’ Anderson and Howard James.

Hopkinson told the gathering which included children from the Mackenzie High School and the Linden Technical Institute that the current GTTA executive took over in August last year and the intention is to decentralise table tennis throughout Guyana.

He said that the resuscitation of the Linden association was essential, and that it was a mandate from the president of the Guyana Table Tennis Association, Police Commissioner Henry Greene.

Dr Balram noted the GTTA president has been very active in pushing the promotion of the sport in communities as well as in schools across Guyana.

Chairman of the Steering Committee at Linden, Lethem Wilson, thanked the GTTA officials for their urgings, saying the intentions were good for the sport and promised to get things moving forward.

It was announced also that there will be an ITTF Level One Coaching clinic in April and that Linden intends to send more coaches to be certified.

Chapman spoke of the invaluable contribution given to the sport by the late table tennis coach and pioneer of the LTTA in the 1970s, Milton George. The GTTA delegation acknowledged that George’s contribution should not go unnoticed and promised some recognition will be given for his unselfish service to the game’s development.

Table tennis coach Anderson spoke of the plans for coaching, particularly in the schools across Linden in the first instance, and in other areas in Region 10 Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice.

The GTTA acknowledged that there was need to assist Linden, which had produced top quality players in the past, including two former junior national champions in Horace Benjamin and Marlon Washington, who went on to represent Guyana at the senior level.

Others who were able to wear national colours were Kay Blair, Auric Tappin, and Gary Stephens; while making a name for themselves over the years were Phillip De Santos Kenneth ‘Gummy’ John, Lennox Stephens, Kevin Stephens and Steven Barrow.

Three tables are already in the mining town to be distributed to locations on the east and west banks of the Demerara river at Linden. Their acquisition was made possible compliments of businessmen Dunstan Barrow and Beresford Harry and Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine.

A fourth donation of tennis tables is expected shortly, and the locations for these tables are the Supervisors’ Club, Linmine Constabulary Hall, Beresford Youth Club, and the Linden Technical Institute.