ALTRINCHAM Boys Grammar School's table tennis teams are showing the potential that was realised by their predecessors (class 2009) who finished regularly in the top four of the English schools championships.
The school team which links in with Altrincham Table Tennis Club play in the TTE National Cadet league NW Second Division and and look odds-on favourites to gain promotion to the top division
Brothers Kabir and Karan Josan have represented Cheshire in the county championships of Table Tennis England and, along with their school colleagues are making their mark in national tournaments.
In the recent HALTON 1* Open an Alty boy, Daniel Shafei, in his first ever open tournament came away with the Consolation U13 singles title and he followed this up with an unbeaten display in the NW Cadet league, wining all six matches
While the school and club coach, former Scotland player/coach Brian Kean, is delighted with development so far he has reservations regarding future progress.
Kean points out that he, along with fellow regional and national coaches were made redundant in the run-up to the Rio Olympics as UK sport withdrew funding for international competition and training on the basis that, like numerous other sports with their world rankings, medal success was unlikely.
The result of this meant development and training pathways that prevailed across the country were disbanded due to the loss of the full-time staff coaches in the regions.
He further points out, with a degree of anger, that junior players who perform well in open tournaments can be invited to join the national squad on a payment of just under £2,000 which, along with the costs of tournament entry fees, travel and accommodation, firmly places table tennis in the elitist bracket.
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