Monday the 19^th August saw the second of two Table Tennis training camps take place at UCLan. In total forty-two of the best players from ten different clubs across the North-West attended the training day. Travelling to the Preston campus from Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Participants ranged in age from ten to eighteen years old, many of them being nationally ranked including some who are in the top five for their age range and several England internationals.

UCLan Performance Coach Dan O’Connell led the training sessions and was assisted by seven volunteer coaches ensuring a good coach to player ratio and plenty of opportunity for players to improve their game and have a positive experience whilst attending UCLan.

The camp, which ran from 10am to 3pm, was then followed by a talk delivered to the participants by Dan O’Connell and Dr Cliff Olsson. Players were provided information about the different opportunities for studying at UCLan, ways in which they can combine a high-level degree whilst continuing to train to a high level in their sport, and also information about the scholarship programme in place at UCLan for high performing athletes.

Parents were also present during the talk and were able to ask Dan and Dr Olsson any questions they had, ensuring they left with as much information about UCLan as possible.

Coach Dan O’Connell said “We’re now in the fourth year of running these types of events and it’s great to see them going from strength to strength and being so well supported by players and coaches in the North-West alike. To be able to get so many talented players onto the UCLan campus is a brilliant opportunity, both for them to practice with each other, but also to showcase the facilities and opportunities that UCLan have to offer. The addition of the talk at the end, kindly supported by Dr Olsson, is a huge bonus in being able to spread knowledge of the university and the scholarship programme even further and ensure UCLan is at the forefront of both potential students and parents minds when it comes time to consider their choices for higher education. Feedback of the training days has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re already looking forward to next seasons event”.

Martin Ireland, NW Area Manager said “The UCLan camps have been a great success, training camps like this are key to the development of the next generation of talented junior players in the North West, they are also a great CPD opportunity for local coaches. The partnership with UCLan and the opportunities for NW players to study and train at the University is a marvellous opportunity for players in the North of England. The NW LOG is planning to organise a programme of further camps in each County over coming months in partnership with interested Clubs, Leagues and Counties. If your club or League would like to be involved with the programme, have access to a venue with a minimum of eight tables and Junior players and coaches who would benefit from them, feel free to contact me for an initial discussion at [email protected]“