GANDHIDHAM, Dec. 3 : Gujarat’s first table tennis superstar Pathik Mehta passed his words of wisdom while team bonding was the key area of focus at the ongoing pre-national camp organised by the Gujarat State Table Tennis Association (GSTTA) and supported by the Sports Authority of Gujarat and Kachchh District Table Tennis Association.
The camp that is going on at the Late Shri M.P. Mittra Indoor Stadium, Haresh Sangtani Sports Complex in Adipur, Gandhidham from November 24 to December 7, 2021, is attended by some of the top names in the state in the Cadet (U-13) and Sub Junior (U-15) categories.
While the camp was managed by seasoned coaches Sonal Joshi, Mihir Gandhi and Hraday Desai, former India star Mehta also joined in to share his vast experience with the rising stars of the state.
“I think what has impressed me and surprised me, is that none of the players are addicted to mobile. I am really happy to see them mingling and spending time with each other. The team bonding will be a key aspect when they go out and play the nationals,” Mehta, who was once ranked India no. 5, said. “I can feel that some of them have the potential to shine for the country. Yes, they are raw now, it will take time to sharpen their skills, and I am really happy to see GSTTA is holding pre-national camps which will benefit them. I also wanted to congratulate the coaches at the district level who are shaping these kids,” Mehta, who had won many international medals for the country, added.
Sharing his experience, Mehta said, “I told them the importance of knowing oneself as I firmly believe coaches can only enlighten them. And it is important that they develop this habit of knowing their psychological and physical form.
“I also feel that it is important for players to maintain a diary where they make a plan for their practice and training. It helps players to think, analyse, assess, question and seek answers about their games. It is important to analyse each and every point before playing the next ball even while practising. And this should be a habit.”
Meanwhile, the coaches spoke about the importance of team bonding. “The focus is on team bonding, as they will play team events at the nationals. It is important that they understand each other,” Desai said.
“Most of these players come from different district associations and playing together will be difficult for them. Hence, we thought of focussing on togetherness,” Gandhi said. “Each player has a different set of strengths and weaknesses, we have to balance them out with the right combinations and these camps help us in doing so. Here, we have two sessions of two and half hours daily and then, as the player lives on the same campus, they share a lot of time off the table also. This is also important in developing the understanding,” he added.
Gandhi also said that they try to recreate the atmosphere that these players might face at the competition. “In table tennis, the atmosphere, the tables and the size of the halls affect a player. We try to recreate the atmosphere here so that they remain ready for any challenges that they may face,” he added.
Echoing the sentiments, Joshi said, “We try to create match situations and see the reactions of players to different situations. Everyone has a different way to cope with pressure but we tell them to imbibe patience as a virtue irrespective of the situation.”
Written by : Pranjal Protim Boruah