The 3rd practical part of the Table Tennis Study Programme was successfully completed in Thailand from May 28th- June 4th 2019.
This university degree study programme in sports coaching especially designed to suit the needs of table tennis players and coaches was launched at the Faculty of Kinesiology University of Split three years ago in conjunction with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU). The project has gathered professors and experts from more than 20 different well recognised institutions (universities/institutes/academies) worldwide and initially enrolled 20 students from 5 different continents.
The last practical part of the programme for the 13 students of the first generation who made it to the final year was organised at several locations in Thailand (Bangkok Nakhon Si Thammarat) with great support of Sports Authorities of Thailand Table Tennis Association of Thailand and local government authorities which hosted the programme and provided all the attendees with perfect conditions and with well-known Thai hospitality.
In return this time around the programme’s practical part was not a “closed” event organised only for the students attending the programme but it enabled access to the event for high performance Thai coaches selected by the Sports Authorities of Thailand and Table Tennis Association of Thailand. So at the same time the programme’s 3rd practical part was a high performance coaching seminar organised with aim to further boost development of table tennis in Thailand and provide their best coaches with an up to date science based coaching knowledge. The main topics of the seminar addressed long-term organisation of coaching process and identification and development of young table tennis prospects.
Notable speakers were Neven CEGNAR the ETTU Development Manager Miran KONDRIČ and Irene Faber from the ITTF Sports Science and Medical Committee and the Thai professor PICHIT Muangnapo an expert for the stress and anxiety coping techniques.
The ETTU Deputy President Ivo-Goran MUNIVRANA had also visited Thailand and greeted all the participants and organisers of the event in the name of the ETTU one of the initial partners in the programme’s launch.
The programme and the seminar proved to be highly successful and attracted a big attention of the local media.
Some of the pictures from the programme’s last practical can be found at following links (Bangkok Nakhon Si Thammarat).
