We were delighted to be able to take a team to the Notts Table Tennis Championships yesterday (Sunday 2nd Nov). This was the first time ever that we have had enough strong players to consider entering such a high level of competition.
The event, part of the Table Tennis England National Championship pathway, was held at Draycott Table Tennis Centre and we took a girls’ team and a boys’ team. Both were depleted in numbers by withdrawals but our boys and girls did brilliantly . Each of them had to play extra matches – double for each of the boys! – which must have been very tiring. The standard of play was high, but our teams held their own. The girls in particular faced awesome opponents, including several England internationals. Our children showed lots of skill, determination and loads of resilience.
it was a fantastic event, one of the best, made more so by the great, friendly atmosphere; even those international players were welcoming, friendly and respectful.
Our girls, Renee and Poppy, progressed to the regional East of England Championships, to represent Nottinghamshire later this month. The boys, Manmeet and Oscar, played to a high level and ran much more experienced opponents very close, managing some very impressive wins along the way. Fair to say, we think, that the day has made us all better competitive players.
It was also great to see Parkdale so well represented amongst the older age groups, with no fewer than four ex-Parkdalers present in the senior competitions and clearly very, very brilliant at table tennis! It was lovely to catch up with them and see what lovely young men they’ve become.
We will continue or commitment to table tennis as an inclusive, accessible life-long, social and healthy sport, It also provides a particularly accessible route to excellence and wider success in our locality, with the centre at Carlton le Willows remaining so prominent and with both Nottingham university teams being so strong internationally.
