ATTA Stay Home Table Tennis Challenge: Novel Initiative To Engage With The Community During Lockdown

The Auckland Table Tennis Association exists to facilitate participation in table tennis in the Central and Eastern Auckland geographic region, and to foster the growth of the sport in Auckland and, ultimately, nationally. New Zealand’s current priority is slowing the spread of COVID-19. The Auckland table tennis stadium, located in Epsom, Auckland, closed when New Zealand entered Alert Level 3. New Zealand is now at Alert Level 4 which means that travel is restricted, all non-essential businesses have staff working remotely or on leave, and students are on school holiday.

The Association has begun a novel initiative to engage with the community during the current period of isolation. Dinyar Irani – table tennis Development Coach – is releasing a series of You Tube videos entitled the ATTA Stay Home Table Tennis Challenge. Irani is releasing one You Tube video each day at 12.00pm NZT with catchy titles such as Krabby Batty, Wicked Wall Whacks, and Bendy Backhands. The Challenge is scheduled to run for 30 days. Participants are encouraged to take part in the challenges at their own residence, video themselves completing the challenge, and upload their own videos to social media. All participants who participate in at least one challenge go in the draw to win prizes from the Association.

The Challenge is open to all members of the community to take part. Irani demonstrates in the ATTA Stay Home Table Tennis Challenge: Day 5/30 (Basketball Bouncing) video how participants can take part even when they do not have table tennis equipment at home. Irani introduces the idea of using common household items such as a frying pan as a bat, and a tennis ball for the ball.

Seven Challenge videos have been released to date and the response from fellow table tennis associations, schools, and contacts within Oceania has been very positive. Shane Warbrooke, CEO, says “I am excited by this series as it is a great way for people to come together as a family, encourage one another, stay physically active, and gain a sense of achievement on completing each challenge.”

Watch the “ATTA Stay Home Table Tennis Challenge: Day 1/30 (Focused Forehands)” here. 

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