Para table tennis can be played standing or sitting. Athletes from all disability groups, except blindness or visual impairment, can compete in table tennis. There are standing and sitting classes. Table tennis athletes with a disability are classified into classes from TT1 to TT10, which are based on ability (functional classification). Classes 1 to 5 are for athletes competing in wheelchairs, classes 6 to 10 compete standing, while class 11 is for athletes with an intellectual disability.
Coaching players with different disabilities is challenging and rewarding at the same time. Canadian PARA National team athlete Peter Isherwood, wheelchair class 2 in preparation for PAN AM PARA Games in Santiago de Chile in November 2023
Coaching at PARA NATIOANL training camp at My TT Club, Mississauga Toronto, Ontario May 29-31, 2023. Watch the video from the camp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPyczwIvuGQ
My first trip as PARA National team coach was to COSTA RICA December 12-17, 2022 to compete at International PARA Table Tennis tournament .
COPA COSTA RICA with14 countries competing in men and women singles, doubles and mixed doubles events class 2-10
PARA National Team players: 4 wheelchair athletes (class 2, 3, 4, 5)and 2 standing athletes (class 6,10)
National Team coaches: Dejan Papic and Luba Sadovska
Words from coach Luba : for me it was first PARA International tournament coaching experience, along with coach and manager Dejan Papic and 6 PARA athletes (4 wheelchair and 2 standing). I felt very confident in my new appointed role and coaching abilities. As a team we worked very well together, we had regular pre-briefing meetings and de-briefing meetings after each game to see what went good or not and where we succeeded, where we can improve and do better.
Athletes were responsible in doing their ‘on and off table’ warm ups, as well as coaches helping with on table technical warm ups before games. All athletes were great in supporting each other during the whole competition and cheering during games, great team work and performance.
My coaching knowledge was put to a great use in different matches for wheelchair and standing singles and doubles, men and woman both. It was amazing to see athletes with different disabilities to compete every game, every point, there were some disappointments’ but many happy moments as well.
I can only describe it all through my own experiences, how some of the opportunities and challenges players with permanent disabilities face in pursuing excellence in Sport of Table Tennis to promote greater achievements through competitions.
Overall great experience and team energy between our Canadian PARA athletes as we were coming home with medals :
Stephanie Chan, class 6 bronze medal in women singles
Peter Isherwood, competed in combined class 2-3 and placed 3rd with bronze medal in men singles
Mohsin Watto and Steven Dunn, class 3 and 4 bronze medals in men doubles
Muhammad Mudassar, class 4-5 combined bronze medal in men singles
Yours in Table Tennis
Coach Luba Sadovska 🏓
