On Friday August 20th, the Anguilla Table Tennis Association (ATTA) conducted a press briefing to inform the general public of the progress it was making in bringing table tennis into the mainstream of sports in Anguilla. The Director of Sports in Anguilla, Mrs. Wilma Proctor, who chaired the brief event explained: “The Anguilla Table Tennis Association was formed on September 24th 2008, after several meetings of interested persons.

Table Tennis' governing body

It was created with the view of gaining membership in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). As a result of this meeting, an executive was formed and they are, President Celestine John, 1st Vice President Felix Fleming, 2nd Vice President Shem Wills, Secretary Renee Wills, Assistant Secretary Ingrid Fullington, Treasurer Allan Carty and Public Relations Officer Mona Fleming”.

Mrs. Proctor continued: “The aim of the ATTA is to promote table tennis throughout the island as a disciplined sport. The ATTA has no limitations with respect to age - all are invited. However, the association endeavors to create an affable environment that targets predominantly our youth, helping them to realize their potential and also uniting them in an extra-curricular activity that has the potential for international recognition”. The Director added, “The ATTA’s quest for international affiliation was recently realized as we gained admission to the International Table Tennis Federation, on June 4th 2010. With this affiliation to the ITTF, the Anguilla Table Tennis Association benefitted significantly from the receipt of table tennis equipment. This included: six table tennis tables, six nets, six score boards, twenty tournament T-shirts, eighty beginner’s rackets and eight gross balls. In light of this, the ATTA is now equipped to host competitions at a national level, and hopefully in the near future at an international level. We were also offered and took advantage of the opportunity to send two persons from Anguilla to be trained in table tennis, who are now able to deliver the program”.

The head lady of sports in Anguilla observed that table tennis and its re-emergence in Anguilla, came as a result of an initiative of the Sports Office reaching out to an Australian sports out-reach program. Responding to a request for a grant to support table tennis in Anguilla, Mrs. Verna Edwards, a table tennis coach, was seconded to Anguilla for three months during which she re-established the ATTA. The Director continued, “During that initial three month period, Mrs. Edwards also initiated programs within the primary schools, programs in the afternoons and in the communities. As a result of her efforts, and the Sports Office recognizing the benefits of those efforts, she was brought back for another three-month stint”.

The first Vice President, Mr. Felix Fleming, apologizing for the unavoidable absence of the President, Ms. Celestine John, commented on the state of table tennis in Anguilla saying, “It is my vision to see table tennis clubs organized across the island and to develop the sport to a point where we can be competing in both regional and international tournaments”. He went on, “Being an avid table tennis player, in my youth, the sport was played between students from the various schools in my day, so the sport was organized back then, and I see no reason why we can’t do better today”. The First Vice President said that it’s imperative that groups are organized in the various communities so that clubs can be formed, and the ATTA will be contacting individuals, in these communities, to be the point persons in these formations in an effort to move the sport forward. He maintained that while the sharing of venues for table tennis with church halls and community centers persists, the main location for weekly play and practice will be the Rodney MacArthur Auditorium, and the days when it will be available will be advertised at a later date as they have not been finalized.

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