Report
from the training prior to Fiji Open 2011
Invitations
to the 2 1/2 days of training prior to the Fiji Open Table Tennis
Championships were unfortunately sent out to overseas associations
and players at a date a bit too close to the start because the training
venue at NASA in Nadi was secured very late.
I had
prepared a program for one group of players practising two times
a day but when I learned when I arrived in Nadi that it would be
24 players taking part (included four national junior players from
New Caledonia and one from Solomon Islands).
The venue had only six tables and it was quickly decided on the
morning the training started that we had to divide them in two groups
after playing quality. Group 1 should practise from 9-11am and Group
2 from 11am to 1 pm, and after lunch Group 1 should play from 2.30
to 4.30pm with Group 2 from 4.30 to 6.30pm. The problem with the
24 players turning up at the same time for the first session was
solved by letting Group 2 do a self-evaluation form that I had made
while Group 1 was practising - playing top of the table so that
I (and the other coaches) could see the standard of the players.
After a while the two groups swapped.
In my original plan I had a three hour session in the morning (9.30
to 12.30) and a two and a half hour session in the afternoon (3.00
to 5.30), feeling that the players would be more fit in the morning
at that the heat would take it's toll in the afternoon. The change
meant only two hour sessions but by holding the intensity up and
having two even groups of players it might be suitable for players
not used to long sessions.
I tried
to follow the original program as close as I could by shortening
in general information a bit and get the players to get into their
exercises quick. All the players turned up to all the morning sessions
and afternoon sessions in time (no "Fiji Time"!), which
was very good and encouraging! Luckily we had no injuries during
the training. Just two players were a bit sore the last day but
with the intensive training we did this was to be expected, and
even they completed their training in good mood. We did stretching
when the practising days for the day was finished and we also had
proper warming up before the sessions started. I had been afraid
that the concrete floor should give their feet trouble, but no complaints
(even if I guess a few had sore feet).
I had
prepared all the exercises on and off the table and organised the
training in a way most of the players were used to from Oceania-training
like in Auckland last year. The assistant coaches were Wang Qi of
Fiji (based in New Zealand), Yoshua Shing of Vanuatu (based in Fiji),
Heimo Guttersberger of Fiji and Cathy Gauthier of France (based
in New Caledonia). Plus Steve Reilly of Fiji the last day.
Thanks to all their help!
I had
prepared a program with emphasis on footwork and attacking skills,
knowing many of the Pacific players and what they needed most from
the Global Junior Circuit and the Oceania/Hopes training in New
Zealand last year (plus watching a bit of video on Youtube). The
plan was to have a development day by day; Kind of stepping up from
simple exercises they should know to more difficult exercises -
and then to match-like ones. I also planned to have more multi-ball-practising
in the afternoon, often with two players on one side - and also
top-of-the table match-like exercises (especially to make it a bit
fun when the players got a bit tired in the afternoon). Anthony
Ho had agreed to my plan and even after dividing into two groups
I decided to try to follow the plan, might be with a few modifications
for the weaker group.
I must
say I am very happy with the players. They all behaved very well
and they all did their best during the training. It was a big difference
in the level between the weakest players and the national players
but they all tried to improve - and I am quite sure they all did!
It became fast quite clear that footwork and balance was a general
weakness among the majority of the Fijian players, and they also
lacked a bit when it came to both forehand and backhand loop/topspin.
Some of the weaker players also needed to learn a quite bit of the
basics. Integrated into the training were two deaf players, but
this worked fine since they brought a coach and their sign language
teacher. The assistant coaches went from table to table to correct
errors and helping out. They also did multi-ball feeding, and luckily
some of the Fijian players were also used to feed so the multi-ball
practising worked fine. I introduced two-player multi-ball, with
two players working together on one side and a coach/player feeding
- something it seemed that none of them had tried before. I have
called this "China-multiball" just to separate it from
regular multi-ball. It did not take too long time before the players
understood the process and it was as valuable for them as I have
experienced other places I have used it. The players are forced
to use their feet and work hard - and it is also fun at the same
time! Also using top-of-the-table system but based on exercises
were successful. They had to follow certain simple exercises while
they played for points. I always had them start playing with one
serve each and play until I shouted stop, but often ended the sessions
letting them play up to five or seven points.
I also let the assistant coaches play a bit with the better players
- and the last day they all joined in the lengthy free top-of-the-table
we had for most of the session.
I feel
that the program that we followed was very useful for the Pacific
players. It kept them working hard and it seems that they enjoyed
this kind of hard training (- especially the competition element
to the top-of-table exercises), it kept them motivated.
The players needed to get their feet moving better and also to be
more consistent in their attacks. Many of them need to bend their
knees more and get their balance forwards. They should also be practising
topspin/drive/loop more, both for forehand and backhand. They tend
to hit the ball with a hard smash when the ball is not bouncing
hight enough - and miss the table too much. Of course the players
should also have the chance to play more overseas, they need tough
competition and they need to see the good international players
to learn from them.
All the players completed all the sessions, and it seemed that they
were happy with the 2 ½ days of training - to learn and to
prepare for Fiji Open. Myself I am happy with the way everything
progressed and I hope that the assistant coaches feel the same.
Thank
you to Anthony Ho and Fiji Table Tennis for letting me conduct the
training!
Regards
Terry Dahl
TRAINING
FIJI
PROGRAM
Objectives;
Prepare for Fiji Open, improve footwork and attack.
Day
1 Tuesday 6 December
09.30-09.40:
Information: Program, goals, presentation players & coaches
etc.
Objective first session: "Get into it", find rhythm.
09.40-10.00: Warm up, warm up at table.
10.00-10.30: Top of table matches, one serve each to "Stop!"
Last man is your practising partner.
10.30-10.45: Fh, fh in middle to fh block. Two players 1. Regular.
10.45-11.00: Falconburg. Two players 3. Regular.
11.00-11.10: Short break.
11.10-11.25: Bh, fh in bh-corner to bh.
11.30-11.45: Envelope (Butterfly) Two players 4. Regular.
11.50-12.15: Top of table counter-hitting. Top-of-table 1.
12.15-12.30: Physical exercise: "Copy-cat". Two and two.
In
the break: Please fill in your evaluation form.
3.00-3.10:
Short warm up (shadow table tennis).
Info/objective: Footwork, do multi-ball.
3.15-3.30: Short explanations on footwork and loop/drive.
3.30-3.45: Fh-loop control on block, multi-ball.
3.45-4.00: Bh-loop control on push, multi-ball.
4.00-4.15: "China fh-loop and bh-loop" - on push. Multi-ball
17. Regular.
4.15-4.25: Short break
4.25-4.40: "China Falconburg" - on push. Multi-ball 19.
Regular
4.40-5.00: Serves, explain and try.
5.00-5.15: Top of table; backspin serve to backhand, long push to
bh, long bh-push to fh, fh-loop, free game. Top-of-table 4 Variation.
5.15-5.30: Stretching.
Day 2 Wednesday 7 December
09.30-09.40:
Information: Objective session: Improve fh loop/drive.
09.40-10.00: Warm up, warm up at table.
10.00-10.15: Fh-loop/drive control on block.
10.15-10.30: Envelope/Butterfly (repetition). Two player 4. Regular.
10.45-11.00: "Fh and bh attack"- Two players 7. Irregular
(to fh side).
11.00-11.10: Short break.
11.10-11.25: "All over the table" - Two players 8. Irregular.
11.30-11.45: "Smash on lob" - Two players 9. Irregular.
11.50-12.15: Top of table, backspin serve, long push all table,
open, free game. T-o-t 9.
12.14-12.30: Physical exercises: Shadow footwork on signs.
Lunch-break.
3.00-3.10: Short warm up (shadow table tennis).
Info/objective: Footwork, China-multi-ball, serves.
3.15-3.30: Short explanations on balance and recovery.
3.30-3.45: "Max two" Multi-ball 10, one player. Irregular.
3.45-4.00: "China Falconburg" Multi-ball 19. (Two players,
push) Regular.
4.00-4.15: "China short and long" Multi-ball 19. (Two
players) Regular.
4.15-4.25: Short break
4.25-4.40: Serves.
4.40-5.00: Serves and returns.
5.00-5.15: Top of table; Short serve free, short return free, flick,
free game. T-o-t 7
5.15-5.30: Stretching.
Day
3 Thursday 8 December
09.30-09.40:
Information: Objective session - matchlike, plus over-the-table
backhand loop (rollover).
09.40-10.00: Warm up, warm up at table.
10.00-10.15: Fh-loop against fh-loop. Explain and try.
10.15-10.30: "Match loop on loop" - Two players 12. Regular.
10.45-11.00: "Match loop on loop" one more time but as
top of table
11.00-11.10: Short break.
11.10-11.25: Over the table backhand loop. Explain and try.
11.30-11.45: Top of the table, on sets to 7 points.
11.50-12.15: Top of table, on sets to 11 points.
12.14-12.30: Stretching. (Plus awards?)
(The above was the original plan/schedule - it was adjusted according
to what is written in the report.)
Click
on the links to see/download:
-
The invitation to the training
- The self-evaluation
form
Exercises:
- Two
players - page 1
- Two
players - page 2
- Two
players - page 3
- Multi-ball
- page 1
- Multi-ball
- page 2
- Multi-ball
- page 3
- Multi-ball
- page 4
- Multi-ball
- page 5
-
Top-of-the-table - page 1
-
Top-of-the-table - page 2
- Stretching
A video
example (Youtube) on two-player multi-ball:
-
Norwegian players in China
Videos
shown during the training:
-
Chinese Footwork Part 1
-
Chinese Footwork Part 2
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