The BOP Table Tennis Association and Parafed Bay of Plenty are working together to promote and provide the opportunity for people to get involved in Para table tennis in Tauranga, with a vision for future expansion in the Bay of Plenty Region.

John Lea from the BOP Table Tennis Association, is involved with the development of Para table tennis and says that the Smash Down Barriers program has already helped many Pacific Islanders with a disability to learn Table Tennis.  Some islands had few opportunities for disabled persons to participate in regular organised sport; but not now, thanks to Oceania Table Tennis Federation!  

Assisting the program is NZ Girls Table Tennis Coach, Jessica Macaskill from Rotorua, who visited Tonga to help develop their National Sports Structure.  The ITTF Level One Coaching Course Presenter noted the most popular part of her 5 day course there was the Para table tennis section. 

In December, Manurewa hosted an Oceania Para table tennis training camp, followed by the NZ Para table tennis championships.  Amongst the competitors were Victor Kamizona from Welcome Bay, and National Para Coach, John Tuki, formerly from Papamoa. 

An interesting visitor was Mere Roden, the 2016 Fiji Sportswoman of the year.  Mere, who only took up table tennis in 2014, was Fiji’s flagbearer at the Rio Paralympics.  This truly inspirational character did it all from her wheelchair!

The BOP Table Tennis Association wants to provide similar opportunities to local people with disabilities. Table Tennis Tauranga has booked extra hours at Memorial Hall on Friday afternoons and with support from Parafed BOP they hope to introduce Para table tennis to many newcomers.  ‘We are excited about this opportunity’ Leanne Flanders, the Sport Development Officer for Parafed BOP is very keen to work alongside BOP Table Tennis Association to make this happen.  ‘We introduced Boccia back into the Bay earlier this year as a new program, and now with Table Tennis we are continuing to develop the sporting opportunities we can offer for physically disabled people’. 

If anyone would like to be involved with the Smash Down Barriers Table Tennis Program please contact your local Parafed Sport Development Officer Leanne [email protected], or the Secretary of the BOP Table Tennis Association, John Lea [email protected].

By visiting the Parafed Bay of Plenty Website ‘Sports’ tab, you can see all of the sports we are  either currently offering, or are part of our vision to be available locally in the near future – please check us out! Click here