DaveR
04-02-2008, 12:12 AM
The English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) has announced the appointment of Tony Taylor as its new North East Regional Development Officer (RDO).
Tony is 60 years old, a native of County Durham, and has lived in Brandon, Durham for the last 29 years. He has lived and worked all his life in the north east and is well known in table tennis circles, having played in a number of local leagues between Northumberland and Middlesbrough over the last 40 years, notably Durham & District and Hartlepool. He currently represents Sedgefield in the Darlington league and Sacriston St. Bede’s in the Sunderland league.
Since retiring from his full time employment as an NHS Supplies Manager in Middlesbrough in March 2006, after a career of over 41 years in local government and the NHS, Tony has been coaching table tennis in schools, mainly in the Derwentside, Durham, Sedgefield, Chester-le-Street, and Wear Valley districts of County Durham. He qualified as a level 2 coach at Northfield, Billingham, in May 2003, and completed his practical assessment under Keith Wilson at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington, by the end of July that year. He has also been Honorary Treasurer of the Durham County Table Tennis Association for the last four years.
Tony took up his duties on 10th March 2008, and, following three days induction at Hastings and Grantham, is based at an office in Durham University’s House of Sport, Elvet Hill House, Elvet Hill Road, Durham DH1 3TH. It is a fixed term appointment up to 31st March 2009, and he is looking forward to the challenge, saying:-
‘Although adult participation in traditional league structures has declined over a 30 year period, the sport is very popular with youngsters and is thriving in schools across the country. Our challenge is to convert the informal or casual players into club players and boost competition and membership this way. Government support for sport is on the increase, and table tennis, as a ‘sport for all’, is perfectly placed to benefit from this. There is much to do if we are to meet the ETTA’s vision of making table tennis the most popular and successful indoor sport in England’, he said. ‘My role is to promote, support, and encourage the development of table tennis, by working with a wide range of volunteers and other sports professionals. We have ambitious targets and a massive agenda, working to tight timescales – just like the NHS really – but I am up for the challenge! Key work areas include club and league development, school club links, volunteer support, facility development and communication.’
‘I just want to see more people playing and enjoying the sport again. Table tennis has given me enormous pleasure over the years, and I want others to benefit from having the opportunity of playing and competing. The game can be played all year round, by people of all ages and abilities, and does not require a lot of space – four tables can fit into a badminton court. It is relatively inexpensive and safe when compared to other sports, a great stress-buster, and a fun way of keeping fit, as well as a good way of making new friends. I consider the immediate priorities for the North East region to be the recruitment of many more qualified coaches, from both the playing side and teaching staff, together with volunteer workers, to work in schools and at after - school clubs with the youngsters, and the establishment of school leagues. Working on the basis that no-one has a copyright on ideas, I would like to hear from anyone who thinks they may be able to help, or have any suggestions or contributions to make towards the future success of the sport’.
Further information can be obtained from the ETTA website ‘www.etta.co.uk’ (http://www.etta.co.uk’), or from Tony who can be contacted on mobile telephone number 0785 - 3414323, office telephone number 0191 - 3347226, or e-mail him at ‘tony.taylor@etta.co.uk’.
Tony is 60 years old, a native of County Durham, and has lived in Brandon, Durham for the last 29 years. He has lived and worked all his life in the north east and is well known in table tennis circles, having played in a number of local leagues between Northumberland and Middlesbrough over the last 40 years, notably Durham & District and Hartlepool. He currently represents Sedgefield in the Darlington league and Sacriston St. Bede’s in the Sunderland league.
Since retiring from his full time employment as an NHS Supplies Manager in Middlesbrough in March 2006, after a career of over 41 years in local government and the NHS, Tony has been coaching table tennis in schools, mainly in the Derwentside, Durham, Sedgefield, Chester-le-Street, and Wear Valley districts of County Durham. He qualified as a level 2 coach at Northfield, Billingham, in May 2003, and completed his practical assessment under Keith Wilson at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington, by the end of July that year. He has also been Honorary Treasurer of the Durham County Table Tennis Association for the last four years.
Tony took up his duties on 10th March 2008, and, following three days induction at Hastings and Grantham, is based at an office in Durham University’s House of Sport, Elvet Hill House, Elvet Hill Road, Durham DH1 3TH. It is a fixed term appointment up to 31st March 2009, and he is looking forward to the challenge, saying:-
‘Although adult participation in traditional league structures has declined over a 30 year period, the sport is very popular with youngsters and is thriving in schools across the country. Our challenge is to convert the informal or casual players into club players and boost competition and membership this way. Government support for sport is on the increase, and table tennis, as a ‘sport for all’, is perfectly placed to benefit from this. There is much to do if we are to meet the ETTA’s vision of making table tennis the most popular and successful indoor sport in England’, he said. ‘My role is to promote, support, and encourage the development of table tennis, by working with a wide range of volunteers and other sports professionals. We have ambitious targets and a massive agenda, working to tight timescales – just like the NHS really – but I am up for the challenge! Key work areas include club and league development, school club links, volunteer support, facility development and communication.’
‘I just want to see more people playing and enjoying the sport again. Table tennis has given me enormous pleasure over the years, and I want others to benefit from having the opportunity of playing and competing. The game can be played all year round, by people of all ages and abilities, and does not require a lot of space – four tables can fit into a badminton court. It is relatively inexpensive and safe when compared to other sports, a great stress-buster, and a fun way of keeping fit, as well as a good way of making new friends. I consider the immediate priorities for the North East region to be the recruitment of many more qualified coaches, from both the playing side and teaching staff, together with volunteer workers, to work in schools and at after - school clubs with the youngsters, and the establishment of school leagues. Working on the basis that no-one has a copyright on ideas, I would like to hear from anyone who thinks they may be able to help, or have any suggestions or contributions to make towards the future success of the sport’.
Further information can be obtained from the ETTA website ‘www.etta.co.uk’ (http://www.etta.co.uk’), or from Tony who can be contacted on mobile telephone number 0785 - 3414323, office telephone number 0191 - 3347226, or e-mail him at ‘tony.taylor@etta.co.uk’.