Table Tennis Enthusiasts Upskilled as Junior Umpires Ahead of County School Games
In a collaborative effort, Table Tennis England, Be Active, Bedford Community Table Tennis Club, and Kempston Academy recently joined forces to train the next generation of Junior Umpires for the upcoming County School Games Table Tennis events.
On Monday, November 4th, nine young people from Kempston Academy in Bedford were provided the opportunity to obtain their Junior Umpiring Award. This qualification will enable them to support the organization of the respective table tennis competitions for Year 5/6, Years 7/8, and Years 9/11, taking place at the academy from Wednesday, November 13th to Friday, November 15th.
“It was great to see a number of young people willing to step up and help support the School Games in Bedfordshire, and it’s been nice to offer them a formal qualification, which hopefully they can build upon in the future.”
- Christopher Bryden, Area Manager (East) for Table Tennis England
Gav Fordham, Head of Physical Education at Kempston Academy, commented:
“This opportunity has allowed them to grow their understanding and love for the game as both a player and also recognize the importance an official plays. All participants are looking forward to using their newly acquired skills at next week’s County finals.”
Nicola Ward, Community Engagement Officer and School Games County Finals Lead at Be Active, was “thrilled to be able to give the Young Leaders the opportunity to receive bespoke Table Tennis training from TTE and Bedford Table Tennis Club in preparation for the Table Tennis County Finals next week. Their support in the competition is of huge importance to the smooth running of the event.”
The collaboration between these organizations has provided a valuable opportunity for young table tennis enthusiasts to develop their skills and contribute to the success of the upcoming County School Games Table Tennis events.
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