In its quest to popularize the sport of Table Tennis in all parts of
Canada, Table Tennis Canada (TTCAN) tries to affiliate provincial and
territorial table tennis associations all over Canada. Sometimes this is
not easy as you need local experts in the sport as well as equipment and
facilities in which to play the sport.
The new President of Table Tennis Canada as asked how he felt about
Table Tennis in the North:
I remember when I was a young man, almost 45 years ago, I played in the
National Championships in Whitehorse, Yukon. This was the first time that
any major table tennis event was held in the North. I did not play very
well because I did not sleep all night due to the permanent daylight. But
on the positive side this event lead to the Yukon Table Tennis Association
joining TTCAN as a member territorial association. I also attended the
first Arctic Winter Games as an official, and Table Tennis was one of the
sports in the program.
We had to wait a long time before Nunavut joined TTCAN, and also the North. The Northwest Territories becoming an active member of TTCAN. We are very lucky that one of TTCAN’s officials moved from Ottawa to the North and started an active and successful TT program in the NWT. Table Tennis North, as the NWT Table Tennis Association is known, became a Territorial Sport Organization in September 2015 recognized by the NWT government sport authorities. Then Table Tennis North became a Member of Table Tennis Canada in July 2016. Ever since that time activities and programs in the NWT have increased and the sport is becoming more and more popular. Also, cooperation between the Yukon TTA and TT North has flourished to the benefit of players from both Territories.
On June 9th 2019 history was made. It marked the first time that a
representative from one of the territories was elected to the top
governance level of our national association. Thorsten Gohl, Executive Director (Volunteer) of Table Tennis North, was elected unopposed to the Board of Directors of TTCAN as Director responsible for Marketing and Communications. Thorsten wasted no time and started a communications plan to enhance communications and engage all table tennis fans, players and officials by activating all of TTCAN¹s social media platforms and its website.
One of the joint objectives of Table Tennis North and TTCAN, is to start a
development action targeting young kids using the NWT as a pilot project
that could then be replicated across the country.
We are very lucky to have Thorsten Gohl as a dynamo for the development of Table Tennis in the North and as a member of TTCAN’s Board of Directors.
By Adham Sharara, President Table Tennis Canada