We all know that this sport of table tennis that we all love is riddled with apathy & problems. Local leagues are losing clubs & teams every season, with players getting older and, in many leagues, not being replaced by youngsters.
Yet surprisingly, we don’t help the situation with our attitudes and “heads in the sands” way of regarding things.
I was appalled the other night at the Centre with players strolling in way past the stipulated time of starting, and then having the audacity to ask for a practice knock sometimes taking up to an additional 10 minutes.
Two of these matches were, I believe, Premier League matches, and it is my experience that some of the Premier Division players often act as “Prima Donna’s” on the assumption that the local leagues really cannot do without their services.
Consequently with matches starting so late they invariably finish late. This discourages parents of young players to support our sport, not allowing their offspring to play knowing full well that youngsters have homework & school the next day.
I wonder if anyone else agrees with me, or maybe I am just too old fashioned and set in my ways. Or perhaps my standards of behaviour and obeying the rules are a thing of the past.