June proved to be another incredibly busy and productive month, with activity spanning staff development, club visits, coach education, CPD delivery and partnership work across the country.

The month began in Sheffield, where the Coach Development Team came together for a day focused on mentoring. The day provided an excellent opportunity to explore the evolving role of mentors within our new Coach Development Framework, discussing how mentoring will support coaches throughout their learning journey, and sharing ideas on how we can create meaningful relationships that enhance coach development.

Club visits remain a key part of coach development, and one of the highlights this month was a visit to Barnsley Table Tennis Club. It was fantastic to spend time with Joe Race and observe one of the club’s coaching sessions supported by Ben Barlow, who was working extensively with the younger players through multiball training. The club has developed a wonderful atmosphere, with memorabilia, shirts, photographs and displays celebrating its history and community. Joe’s passion, commitment and tireless work continue to make the club a fantastic example of what can be achieved through dedicated volunteers and quality coaching.

Coach education continued throughout the month with another successful online CPD programme. Aad Kwakkelstein delivered a session on ‘Match Play Tactics’, generating superb discussion and engagement from coaches throughout the workshop. The level of interaction and questioning demonstrated the appetite coaches have for exploring tactical aspects of the game and made it one of the most engaging CPD sessions delivered this year.

June showcased the wide-ranging role of the Coach Development Team, from supporting clubs and coaches on the ground to delivering national CPD, developing new qualifications, strengthening partnerships and continuing to improve opportunities for coaches across England. It has been another rewarding month, and the team look forward to building on this momentum over the coming months.