Kenya to set uniform coaching standard in table tennis

Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) has started a Coach Accreditation system in an effort to set a uniform coaching standard in table tennis in the country, officials said on Sunday

All coaches in Kenya must have undergone the three levels of coaching to qualify as coaches who can coach within the country and to be able to attend any of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) courses in the country.

"We intend to make the sport to be able to compete with, and to be among, the leading nations in table tennis," KTTA secretary general Fahd Daim said, "The course is open to all players, teachers and former national team players who want to learn the basics of coaching."

The KTTA Coach Certification, scheduled for Feb. 21, will cover the topics of Level 1 Basics on umpiring, basics on tournament organization, basics on how to start coaching, youth and gender policy and practical.

At the end of the course, qualified participants will be awarded with certificates of the level that the coaches are able to coach, and all participants will be awarded coach identification cards.

The Chinese Embassy in Kenya has in the past sponsored friendship competitions of table tennis between the Chinese Community in Kenya and the KTTA.

In 2008, eight players from each side participated in a competition that resulted in a 4-4 tie. During the same occasion, the Embassy donated four table tennis tables to the Association. Endi