GTTA building capacity with international umpire course

The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) is hosting a four-day International Table Tennis Federation umpire course with the aim of developing its capacity.

The course commenced on Wednesday (July 25) at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall under the auspices of Colombia’s Yoanna Ramirez, who is the Latin American Rules and Umpires Director. Ramirez just completed organising the table tennis aspect of the Central American and Caribbean Games in her homeland.

According to the expert, she will be instilling the basics to the aspiring umpires who have thus far showcased a deep desire to learn.

Secretary of the GTTA, Linden Johnson, explained that this is part of the association’s endeavours to develop the sport.

“As long as the candidates pass the exam that they are going to do Friday, they will get another opportunity to write for the international certificate. This basic course allows you to umpire in the Caribbean,” Johnson explained.

The course is being undertaken by 22 participants of which four are from Linden, one each from Region Seven and Essequibo Islands and the others from Georgetown.

Lindener Shavin Greene, a level one coach, expects the teachings to allow him to further elevate his career.

“I’m trying to grasp as much as possible since I would have done the basic umpire course before and this is the opportunity to do the international course which if successful, gives you more exposure,” he said.

This would be the first time the International Umpires course is being offered and hosted in Guyana.

It gives the country the opportunity to create an umpiring structure and development pathway and create incentives for umpires to have a career path, and improve the level of officiating and quality and structure of competitions.

More so, it allows the GTTA to bid and host international competitions while improving players’ abilities and the profile of the sport.