TT gets big boost at school level

S M Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Correspondent

Table Tennis in schools are in for a big bonanza when 1500 table tennis tables will be donated to selected schools islandwide with the assistance of the Sports Ministry, Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka, Education Ministry, Members of Parliament and Provincial Councils.

This major project has been embarked with the idea of promotion and development of table tennis in Sri Lanka especially in the schools and to make table tennis the most popular sport in the country.

The first ceremony for the distribution of table tennis tables to selected schools was held recently at the Sri Lanka State and Trading (General) Corporation, Colombo 2 with the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage participating as the chief guest.

Deputy Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing Construction and Common Amenities and the President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka Lasantha Alagiyawanna also participated.

The Education Ministry has allocated a sum of Rs 25 million for the distribution of 1,000 table tennis tables for selected schools and the funding for the balance 500 table tennis tables will be done through the decentralised budgets of Members of Parliament and Provincial Councils for the respective areas.

This has been one of the biggest projects embarked by the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka and this governing body is fortunate to have Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna as its President and it was his vision to spread this sport to every part of the country especially the North and East where conditions are fast returning to normal and every encouragement is done for the children and adults to play table tennis.

A number of tournaments and coaching camps have been conducted with the participation of Chairman, Development and former national player Manzil Muthalib and Co-ordinator Chandana Perera whose contribution to this sport is enormous.

The donation of these table tennis tables to selected schools will take the game far and wide and this is a game which is not difficult to play and is an indoor game - come rain, come sunshine it could be played without any hindrance and on schedule. It is also a game of short duration but to rise up skills are required which will have to be done through dedication, application and devotion under the care of qualified coaches who have to identify the talents of the young paddlers and sharpen the skills and teach them the court craft.

This is what the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka is striving hard to achieve and the distribution of 1500 table tennis tables is one of the steps in this direction, with the aim to strengthen grassroot level TT in Sri Lanka.