Table Tennis Wales and top college unveil new academy and performance hub

A TABLE tennis academy will look to develop and inspire the best young players across North Wales.

The new strategic partnership between Coleg Cambria and Table Tennis Wales, which will also include a high-performance hub, aims to provide an inclusive community club programme, and dedicated grassroots coaching.

Focused on all five of the college’s sites – Deeside, Northop, Llysfasi, and Yale and Bersham Road in Wrexham – they are urging people of all abilities to get in touch to advance their skills and take advantage of the specialist facilities available.

Aaron Beech, Regional Development Officer for North Wales, is liaising with schools and local organisations in a bid to find the area’s next Olympic, Commonwealth or World champion.

“As well as attracting talented players we also want to develop talent right here at the college, as I’m sure there are plenty of students with the potential to go far in the sport,” said Aaron.

“Our priorities are to develop an academy alongside their studies, and there will be free sessions available for them to do that.

“We will also be looking to connect with as many community organisations, charities, and schools as possible to really raise the profile of table tennis in this part of the country.

“There are clubs across the region so we will be looking to collaborate with them, giving more opportunity to support players and create competition via junior leagues, which will be really important going forward.”

Table Tennis Wales CEO Owen Rodgers added: “We are really pleased to be working with Coleg Cambria to develop and grow participation in the north of Wales.

“Having a dedicated training hub will help us to develop and inspire new and existing players, promoting grassroots growth of the sport and ensuring the next generation of Wales’s Commonwealth and Olympic Games elite athletes are provided with the very best opportunities to achieve their maximum potential.

“We thank Cambria and look forward to seeing this relationship flourish in the months ahead.”

The partnership will also include sessions for charities and health organisations, such as Parkinson’s UK Cymru.

Sally Jones, Cambria’s Curriculum Director for Sport, Uniformed Public Services, Business and Elite Sport, welcomed the academy and said this is a fantastic opportunity for college learners.

“As well as our students I’m sure this collaboration will give young people across our community a platform to realise their potential and develop their skills,” she added.

“We look forward to working together and seeing the next generation of Welsh table tennis stars emerge from this region.”