Good day to all.
I want to share with you my activity earlier today. Around 4:00 p.m, I trained my eight table tennis players. These eight players are composed of two teams, boys and girls. They are from different grade levels. Two players are in Grade 6, four are in Grade 5, and the other two are in Grade 4.
The Grade 6 players already have experience. They’ve joined the division meet tournament twice and placed second. However, both of them were absent today, so they weren’t able to join the practice.
Among the Grade 5 players, two are girls. It was their first time joining a division tournament, and they played doubles. They also won second place.
The other two Grade 5 players, both boys, are beginners with no tournament experience just like the two Grade 4 players.
Coaching table tennis is not easy, especially for beginners.
In my seven years of coaching table tennis since 2018, I’ve learned that patience, the players’ genuine interest, a friendly attitude, and moderate strictness are all very important.
Coordinating with parents is also essential to gain respect and cooperation from the players. I teach table tennis free of charge both for the parents and the school. I offer my time and talent voluntarily to support potential student-athletes. I also do this to support the promotion of my wife, who is a teacher. It’s one way I can contribute to her career while doing something I’m passionate about.
One of my first students in table tennis benefited greatly from my coaching. When she entered high school in a private school, she was granted free tuition because of her talent in table tennis. Her family is very thankful to me.
Actually, I started coaching sports in 2010—chess, to be specific. I coached two chess teams. In 2011, my players became champions in the division meet and qualified for the regional meet. From 2011 to 2024, I’ve sent various chess players to the regional competitions. But this year, I stopped coaching chess due to personal reasons.
This coming September, we will have an entry for the table tennis tournament. That’s why I set aside time to train my eight players. I train them twice a week, for two hours each session, at school. How can I manage it?
Well, I work at night. During the day, I spend my time doing household chores and taking care of animals—rabbits, chickens, walking catfish, birds—and doing house maintenance.
That would be all for this blog. Thanks for reading!
