Making a Living - Professional

[Highside]

As a non - Professional but like many keen and play at quite a high level with pretty much a few hours training, how many players in or around the United Kingdom have made or can make their living from Table Tennis. I ask this as my friend plays in France and is not in anyway at the top of the tree, although a good player and does make a living over there. It is not by any means a crazy sum of money but make money he does.

My question is this ....Is it possible to make a living from Table Tennis in some countries such as the United Kingdom?

Some players such as the popular names Alan Cooke, Des Douglas and Paul Drinkhall spring the front of the mind but those are still working, obviously Paul is still young and crafting his trade but Cooky and Des seem to be still working and it seems a little sad that someone who has been top of their particular Country at Table Tennis cant make enough to retire and be comfortable such as a footballer or golf.

This leaves those younger aspiring players even less if not an impossible dream to ever make any substantial gain from the sport.

Has anyone or is anyone proving this wrong, i hope they are and will in the future. Vey sad if you are young and up and coming as enjoyment is a great motivation but to play your sport and be financially secure through it very few and far between it seems.

[Mr Wilko]

i dont think you can make a living playing tt in UK, Cooke and Des have travelled the world playing tt and now do alot of coaching to keep the money coming in.

I think these days the younger players are alot more likely to go abroad to play,(i.e Drinkall,Knight) compared to when i was a junior it was pretty much unheard of (i didnt take up that oppurtunity when offered to play in austria on Schlagers team, 2nd or 3rd team of course) there is alot more opportunities these days and if the younger generation want to make a living from tt that is the way forward!!!
It is a pity as the top few will miss the majority of english tournaments with priorities else where only returning for the major's.

I think the only way to make a living in this country is by coaching tt on a full time basis which is only capable down south (i tried it and could not survive even though was getting £12 an hour)

Anyone who can prove me to be lying please let me know!!!!
:money: :money: :money:

[MK Chris]

Cooke and Des have travelled the world playing tt and now do alot of coaching to keep the money coming in.
Des doesn't charge anywhere near as much as he could do though.. we (and by we I mean our coach Keith) usually end up paying him far more than he asks for because it's ridiculously low for someone of his calibre.

[Hovis Bread Eater]

I understadn that the likes of Pat Cash (ex Wimbledon Champion) charges £400 per hour for a Tennis session. Oh to be a tennis coach....

[Highside]

i dont think you can make a living playing tt in UK, Cooke and Des have travelled the world playing tt and now do alot of coaching to keep the money coming in.

I think these days the younger players are alot more likely to go abroad to play,(i.e Drinkall,Knight) compared to when i was a junior it was pretty much unheard of (i didnt take up that oppurtunity when offered to play in austria on Schlagers team, 2nd or 3rd team of course) there is alot more opportunities these days and if the younger generation want to make a living from tt that is the way forward!!!
It is a pity as the top few will miss the majority of english tournaments with priorities else where only returning for the major's.

I think the only way to make a living in this country is by coaching tt on a full time basis which is only capable down south (i tried it and could not survive even though was getting £12 an hour)

Anyone who can prove me to be lying please let me know!!!!
:money: :money: :money:


Great points but the full time coaching as many who have tried it only know to well damages your game, sometimes irreversibly. The example was Peter Mqueen who went to Barain i believe and came back a different player after making money but feeding all the time and coachhing so very difficult to choose either or.

[Mr Wilko]

totaly agree highside it totally affected my game i would play people as if i was coaching them (feed) and could never be bothered to train my self because when i wasnt coaching i wanted a night off.

but it does have its rewards when people you coach make it to no1 junior in county he only started playing when in his last year at school!!!!

[Tinykin]

totaly agree highside it totally affected my game i would play people as if i was coaching them (feed) and could never be bothered to train my self because when i wasnt coaching i wanted a night off.

but it does have its rewards when people you coach make it to no1 junior in county he only started playing when in his last year at school!!!!

I'll take the bait. Who was it?

[Mr Wilko]

no bait but saying as you asked he was called andrew dryden he never played national tournaments or anything like that just county matches for northumberland (i only coached him for 1 hour per week)