It’s been a crap year. And the beginning of 2021 doesn’t seem it will be much better either. Table tennis – like most other sports – has taken a big hit. Leagues and tournaments have been cancelled. Clubs have closed, re-opened, and then closed again. Huge numbers of people have stopped playing altogether. It is going to take some time to rebuild grassroots table tennis.
But continue we must. I am doing my 1-to-1 coaching sessions, and will continue to do so, as long as my local sports centre remains open. My table tennis club is open – albeit with restricted numbers – and will stay open as long as the rules permit. There is more to life than hiding from death. And there is more to health than just COVID. Recreational sport plays a vital role in keeping people active, healthy and motivated. I will continue to play my very small role in providing opportunities for people of all ages to play table tennis.
So what can you expect from me and my website in 2021? I want to focus on what I do best – making video tutorials and writing articles about how to improve and win more points. I have done far less of this type of content in 2020, because there have been less people playing table tennis. But this madness can’t last forever, and I am sure when we get through winter and into spring, more people will start playing again.
So in 2021 I will address a range of topics next year, including…
- Different ways of winning points
- How to use backhand serves effectively
- Defensive skills
- Bat angles for different strokes
- Dealing with pressure
- Options for returning backspin serves
- Backhand and forehand flicks
- Slowing the pace of the game
- Learning table tennis at an older age
- Overcoming the fear of losing
There will be many other topics I will address too. My plan is to publish a new piece of content every Wednesday. I hope this will help motivate you to keep playing table tennis or restart again if you have had a long break. If you want to receive updates of my new content, please join my mailing list and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
So good riddance to 2020 and let’s hope we return to some kind of normality in 2021.