Sandy Nash is looking forward to seeing the inspirational qualities of players with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s up close as she prepares for her first international tournament as an umpire.

Sandy is the latest English umpire to be selected for her first overseas event and will officiate at the World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships and the World Alzheimer’s Table Tennis Championships in France next month.

It follows Vincenzo Chiarello and Swee Kiat Lim having their first international experience at the recent WTT Youth Contender Podgorica.

All finished their Level 2 (National) qualifications earlier this year, having passed their written exams during the WTT Feeder Manchester in February.

She said: “I’m really excited about this opportunity. This experience in France will hopefully give me confidence to apply to umpire at more international tournaments and, in time, enable me to help new umpires join this community.”

This event is particularly poignant for Sandy as she has been working as a coach with players with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

She said: “I’ve been on the circulation list to receive email invitations to apply to umpire at many overseas tournaments and when this one arrived in my emails it particularly caught my attention.

“Over the last couple of years, I’ve run weekly coaching sessions for people with Parkinson’s and learned a lot about the benefits our sport provides. I really love the idea of supporting an event to help players with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to compete at the highest level in a sport that we share a passion for.

“The international stage this competition provides for players with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s is one I’m grateful to be a part of and I look forward to seeing their inspiring commitment to the sport.”

Sandy, who was the first Level 2 umpire from Hertfordshire since David Edwards – one of the assessors – qualified in 1991, added: “I’m looking forward to working alongside more experienced and more qualified umpires from around the world and learning from this experience.

“It has been a pleasure to join the community of table tennis officials and the support I’ve received since signing up to do my L1 in 2020 has enabled me to reach this point. Thanks to all the officials who’ve answered both my challenging and trivial questions along the way!” 

Interested in becoming an umpire?

If you are interested in becoming an umpire, Level 1 Umpires courses are being held across the country in the coming months, including in Ormesby, Worthing and Wolverhampton.

Click here to register your interest in umpiring course.

Click here to find out more about starting your umpiring journey.

Look out for more news soon about our work to create a new Technical Officials Academy, which aims to ensure our sport has a sustainable, world-class officiating workforce for the future, in every area of the country.

The Academy will transform the landscape, providing a clear pathway into officiating and the training, mentoring and support that umpires, referees and tournament organisers need at every step of their journey.