The Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has secured a deal with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to organise a Level One Coaching Course for its members.
The one-week non-residential coaching course will take place between the 23rd and 30th August in Accra.
The course will be supervised by ITTF official Ramzi Mabrouk with technical support from Ghana’s chief coach Anthony Owusu Ansah and the technical directorate of the Association.
Ghana is getting the chance to organise the level one coaching course again after it last organised one a decade ago.
In all, twenty-eight (28) members will be given the chance to participate in the course, with two (2) others from Senegal upon the recommendation of ITTF making a total of thirty (30) participants.
The Association will give priority to Regional coaches, female coaches, coaches from registered and active clubs, Physical Education teachers and members who have shown interest and commitment in grassroots table tennis development. The Association will ensure that there is regional balance, gender balance as well as ensuring that the various sub groupings get consideration.
Currently, Ghana has two (2) level two (2) coaches in the persons of David Senyo Ahiaba and Andoh Kwesi Koomson.
In an interview with the Acting Technical Director of the Association, Charles Tachie-Menson, he reiterated the need to have more trained coaches to groom more capable players for the nation. He was optimistic that the Association would be able to train more technical men and women in the short term.
Under the leadership of Mawuko Afadzinu, president of Ghana Table Tennis Association, the Association has seen significant presence in global competitions, increase in national umpires and a significant growth in the number of quality players.
Ghana currently has eighteen (18) ITTF international umpires and three (3) ITTF National Referees. William Asare Birikorang recently qualified as an ITTF Competition Manager.
By: Nathaniel Kwesi Somuah
