The Scheme was started with the support of the London Borough Grant Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to introduce a series of informal competitions with a structure that would enable any young Londoner to walk off the street and have a full days competitive Table Tennis at a low cost. By 1992 the London Borough Grants funding ended and was taken over by Sport England.
In 1992 Colin Wilson was appointed RDO and with his help a
series of 8 tournament with the same basic aims – one a month from September to
April – were established around London in 4/6 Badminton Court Sports Halls, but
by 1995 numbers had risen to such an extent that it was decided that a further
expansion was necessary. However, although some 2500 young Londoners’ took part
during this period Sport England made the decision to withdraw it’s funding.
In 1996 it was decided that without outside funding the scheme
should establish links with the local clubs, which resulted in tournaments
being arranged in 10 zones around London. Each zone having a series of 4 zones
tournaments, 1 ever 2 months. With four All London Finals at a central venue at
the end of each 2 month period - catering for 120 players in an 8 Badminton
Count Sports Hall. At this time it was also decided to introduce London
Ratings.
The scheme continued in this format until 2002 when the
spiralling cost of 8 Badminton court sports halls meant that without outside
funding the size of the venue for the finals had to be reduced. Which in turn
meant that the number of places available at the finals had to be halved.
This brings us to the present. Where, whilst the reduction in
places available at the finals and a now very congested calendar has meant the
number of finals and zone tournaments has had to be reduced. The number of new
players taking part in the tournaments was just under 300 over the past season.
A very respectable number considering the reduction in the number of tournament
taking place and this is also despite the emergence of “Table Tennis for Kids”
who are taking complete beginners to play in tournaments all over the country.
So want of the future. If we want Table Tennis to survive and
prosper in London we have to continue to try and make Sport England and all
other funding bodies more aware of the need to support tournaments for the
grassroots. After school clubs and support for coaching are fine but unless
there is a structured competitions programme to back it up, all the coaching in
the world will not produce an Olympic Champion.
Len Pilfold