Updates, News, Posts

12 JUL 2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO EKANSH, MAKSIM AND LEVI ON THEIR PERFORMANCES AT RECENT STATE TOURNAMENTS

Ekansh earned a runner-up medal in the U/17 Boys' Doubles at the 2026 Ballarat Junior State Tournament and has had competitive matches against strong players in recent tournaments. More notably, Ekansh was recently selected for the 2026 Victorian Junior State Team (Under 15 Boys – Team B).

Maksim won the Under 1200 Singles event and also earned a runner-up medal in the U/17 Boys' Doubles with Ekansh at the 2026 Ballarat Junior State Tournament. Maksim has also improved his performance, winning more matches in state tournaments this year.

Levi reached the final of the Under 1000 Singles event at the 2026 Ballarat Junior State Tournament, earning a runner-up medal, and continues to improve his skills.

We encourage all three players to keep training and competing as they continue their journey and develop their game. 👏🏓

18 JUL 2025

CONGRATULATIONS TO EKANSH, AND MAKSIM ON THEIR PERFORMANCES AT RECENT STATE TOURNAMENTS

Ekansh represented Victoria at the 2025 National Championships as part of the Under 13 President’s Team, achieving 9 wins in the Under 13 Boys Team Event.

Maksim also had a great run at the 2025 Ballarat Junior Open, achieving first place in the Under 1000 Division.

Well done to both of you!

These are very good achievements, and we encourage you to keep training and competing as you continue your journey and keep improving.

19 APR 2024

WHY FOOTWORK MATTERS IN TABLE TENNIS: COACHES' PERSPECTIVES

Some people may think table tennis does not require much footwork because the table and ball are relatively small. While this may be true at a recreational level, the game changes dramatically as players move into more competitive levels.

At higher levels, table tennis becomes extremely fast. Players use greater pace, wider angles, and more variation in placement, making movement critical. Reaching the ball is one challenge; getting into a good position to play a quality shot is an even bigger one.

A coach from Brazil once shared an interesting perspective with us:

"A player with poor footwork will need to develop several forehands to compensate for their lack of movement. However, a player with good footwork will only need to learn one forehand because they can use their footwork to get in position and keep doing the same forehand over and over."

This should not be taken literally, as all players make technical adjustments based on factors such as spin, speed, height, and distance from the table. However, the message is highly relevant: good footwork allows players to get into better positions more often, making their technique more consistent and repeatable.

In our view, it is too difficult to develop good strokes when footwork is lacking. Poor movement often forces players to constantly adjust their technique, making consistent execution much harder.

A coach from Colombia shared a similar observation with us:

"When analyzing the stroke of a developing player, look first for footwork issues. Roughly half of the problems in a stroke are footwork-related."

A common example is a player who performs a stroke well during a simple drill where every ball arrives in the same location but struggles to maintain the same quality when the ball is placed elsewhere. In many cases, what appears to be a stroke problem is actually a footwork and positioning issue.

For this reason, we encourage players to prioritize footwork training and avoid over-analyzing every technical detail of their strokes before developing a solid movement foundation.

It is rare to find a strong player with poor footwork. While some players can compensate through tactics, playing style, or equipment choices, these solutions often have limitations. Without good footwork, many players eventually reach a point where further improvement becomes increasingly difficult.

So how can footwork be improved? The answer depends on the individual player, but we generally recommend:

Off-table exercises that develop table tennis movement patterns.
Physical conditioning and strengthening exercises.
Multiball footwork drills with high repetition.
Regular matchplay and structured drills that require efficient movement and recovery.

Ultimately, players who are serious about improving should make footwork training a priority. Better footwork can improve not only movement around the table but also the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of strokes.

Good footwork may not be the most exciting part of table tennis training, but it is often the foundation upon which great players are built. 🏓

16 APR 2024

2024 NATIONAL HOPES

We had a great experience at the National Hopes Camp & Challenge in Geelong last week from 8-12 April.

Congratulations to all our 6 students that participated in this event (Ekansh, Ruby, Bowen, Nathan, Lucas, and Maksim), we hope this was a great experience and you learnt a lot from it.

Also thanks to all the coaches, and the Geelong Table Tennis Association for hosting this event.

24 MAR 2024

TRAINING SESSION WITH VICTORIAN HEAD COACH

Yesterday, we hosted a State Pathways Program training session in Geelong, organized by Table Tennis Victoria.

State Head Coach and former Olympian David Powell travelled to Geelong to lead the session. It was a three-hour training session for young players looking to continue developing their game. Thank you, David, we really appreciate your time and support.

We believe this was a valuable experience for all the players who attended, and we hope everyone took something positive away from the session.

24 DEC 2023

THE CIRCLE OF ATTENTION

If you are a competitive table tennis player, there are many things in a competition enviroment that can distract you: spectators, parents, teammates, your opponent's rating, your phone, past mistakes, or future matches. All of these can make your circle of attention bigger.

A big circle of attention can make it harder to perform at your best. For this reason, players should try to keep their circle of attention focused on the things that help them perform well and are within their control.

It is also important to understand that your circle of attention changes throughout a competition. The things you should focus on during a lunch break are different from the things you should focus on just before a match. One of your goals as a player is to focus on what is most important at that particular moment and reduce the impact of unnecessary distractions.

Of course, this is easier said than done. You first need to identify the things that help you perform at your best and then develop good habits and routines that help you stay focused on those things during competition. Working with a coach or sport psychologist can often help with this process.

Ultimately, the goal is not to ignore everything around you. The goal is to avoid wasting mental energy on things that do not help your performance. The better you become at focusing on relevant and controllable factors, the more likely you are to perform at your best when it matters most. 🏓

29 AUG 2023

A GREAT DAY OF LEARNING WITH THE VICTORIAN HEAD COACH

Last Saturday, 26 August 2023, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, we hosted a State Pathways Program training session in Geelong, organized by Table Tennis Victoria.

Victorian Head Coach and former Olympian David Powell travelled to Geelong to lead the session. We received some useful tips and insights from David. In addition, three other coaches assisted throughout the session.

We had 16 players from Geelong and surrounding areas attend the session, completing three hours of intensive training. Overall, we felt this was a positive experience for everyone involved, and we hope all participants took something valuable away from it.

10 JUL 2023

2023 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

We were proud to have five of our students represent Victoria at the Australian National Championships: Bethany Lindorff, Charlotte Lindorff, Niksa Jarausek, Matthew Bereza, and Charith Yandrapally.

All five players competed strongly across their respective events, with Bethany and Niksa recording several match wins throughout the tournament. The Championships provided a valuable experience for everyone involved and an opportunity to compete against some of Australia's best junior players.

There were many positives and learnings to take away from the event, and we look forward to using this experience to continue improving our programs. Congratulations to all five players on representing Victoria and competing at the national level. 🏓👏

27 JUN 2023

THANK YOU: RICHARD LI

We would like to thank Richard for his contribution to our coaching program throughout 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

Richard assisted with our training sessions, particularly within our development group, bringing valuable experience as a former National Junior Squad member. We greatly appreciate his contribution, commitment, and positive attitude.

Unfortunately for us, Richard is no longer able to assist on a regular basis, as he has moved to Melbourne to pursue his university studies.

We wish Richard all the very best with his studies and future endeavors.

Thank you, Richard, and all the best for the future. 🏓👏

11 MAY 2023

2023 BENDIGO JUNIOR OPEN

Congratulations to our students Isla, Austin, Noah and Niksa for their performance at this Victorian Junior State Tournament.

Isla Hanna-Phillips won the Under 17 Girls Singles Event, and also won the Under 17 Mixed Doubles Event playing with Noah.

Austin Seg won the Division 4 Singles Event, and also won the Under 17 Boys Doubles Event playing with Noah.

Noah Tanis won the Under 17 Mixed Doubles Event playing with Isla, and also won the Under 17 Boys Doubles Event playing with Austin.

Niksa Jarausek reached the semi-finals in the Under 15 Boys Singles Event.

24 APR 2022

2023 NATIONAL HOPES + NATIONAL TOURNAMENT (TTA TOUR)

We had a great experience at the National Hopes Event from 17-21 April. The event brought together some of Australia's brightest young table tennis talent, and we had the opportunity to learn and work alongside some of the country's leading coaches while assisting with the coaching of the top Under 12 players.

Congratulations to all of our students who competed in the national tournament after the hopes event. For some, it was their first national competition, and we hope the experience has provided valuable learning opportunities and inspired them to continue their table tennis journey.

Thank you to all the coaches and players who attended. It was a fantastic week of learning, training, and competition. 🏓👏

21 NOV 2022

CONGRATULATIONS TO NIKSA, BETHANY, CHARLOTTE, AND JESPER ON THEIR OUTSTANDING RESULTS AT RECENT STATE TOURNAMENTS

2022 Yarrawonga Junior Open

Bethany: Champion, Under 17 Girls Singles and Under 19 Girls Singles, Champions, Girls Doubles (with Charlotte
Charlotte: Runner-Up, Under 19 Girls Singles, Champions, Girls Doubles (with Bethany)

2022 Victorian Closed Junior Championships

Niksa: Round of 16, Under 15 Boys Singles; Runner-Up, Under 17 Mixed Doubles (with Bethany)
Bethany: Runner-Up, Under 17 Mixed Doubles (with Niksa)
Jesper: Round of 16, Under 17 Boys Singles; Runner-Up, Under 17 Boys Doubles

15 JUL 2022

2022 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to our students Matthew Bereza and George Han for qualifying in the Victorian State Team this year, and participating in their first National Championships in CALOUNDRA, QUEENSLAND.

Also, congrats to Richard Li for his excellent performance, and we want to thank the GTTA President Damian Taranto for his support.

25 JUN 2022

PERFORMANCE VS RESULTS: A COACH'S PERSPECTIVE

Have you ever lost a match because you were too focused on the result? You're not alone.

Thinking about winning or losing can distract you from what really matters: your performance.

But what is performance? Performance is not simply whether you win or lose. It is the quality of the things you do during a match: your effort, preparation, tactical decisions, attitude, mindset, focus, and ability to execute your game plan. Some days you may lose despite performing well, while other days you may win despite performing below your usual standard. This is why it is important to judge your performance separately from the final result.

Remember, the result is influenced by both players and is not entirely within your control. Focus on what is under your control: your preparation, effort, tactical decisions, attitude, mindset, and overall approach to the match.

After a match, try to separate the result from your performance. A loss can still contain many positives, and a win can still reveal areas for improvement. If you are serious about improving, look beyond the score and evaluate all areas of your game.

Top players have result goals, but during training and competition they focus primarily on the process and performance factors that lead to those results. Performance first, results second. Improve your performance consistently, and the results will follow.

We hope this perspective helps you. 🙂

21 JUN 2022

SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND AT THE VICTORIAN COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to Austin, Noah, Niksa, and Sebastian on their excellent results at the 2022 Victorian Country Championships. Austin, Noah, and Niksa combined to win the Grade D1 Team Event, while Sebastian claimed first place in the Grade D3 Team Event. A fantastic achievement and a reward for their hard work and dedication.

5 JUN 2022

2022 AWTTA JUNIOR OPEN

Congratulations to Matthew Bereza for finishing Runner-Up in the Under 19s event at the 2022 Albury/Wodonga Junior State Tournament. A great achievement and a testament to his dedication and commitment. Thanks also to Maria for her support and the drive from Bannockburn.

14 OCT 2021

FOUR OF OUR STUDENTS SELECTED FOR THE VICTORIAN STATE TEAM

After many years without producing competitive junior players in the Greater Geelong region, with only one or two exceptions training independently outside Geelong, four of our students were selected for the Victorian State Team in 2021.

14 JAN 2021

TABLE TENNIS YOUNG PLAYERS GROWING IN NUMBERS IN GEELONG

Table tennis continues to grow in Geelong, and we're proud to see more junior players joining our Academy training program. It's great to see so many young players committed to developing their skills and becoming part of our growing table tennis community.

15 JAN 2020

RICHARD AND FABIAN WIN SILVER IN MSAC TOP DIVISION

Congratulations to our coaches, Richard and Fabian, on winning the silver medal in Season 2 of the 2019 MSAC Local League, competing in the highest division.

Richard and Fabian played on the same team throughout the competition.

In the photo:
The gold medal-winning team (the three players on the left), the competition coordinator (centre), teammate Rahul (next to the competition coordinator), Fabian (second from the right), and Richard (far right).

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