Swede Treat for Indian TT
Former World and European Champion,Peter Karlsson arrives in Mumbai to work as head coach at a University Sports Pavilion based training camp.
Indian sport has once again looked to the west for support and guidance. This time,table tennis is the chosen sport with Sweden’s Peter Karlsson being the man here to deliver the goods. Arriving in Mumbai after holding a training camp in Madhya Pradesh,Karlsson is set to play the role of head coach for a four-day training camp organised by the Mumbai City District Table Tennis Association (MCDTTA),along with keen support from the Mumbai Suburban District Table Tennis Association (MSDTTA).
With victories in five World Championships and six European Championships that glisten in his career,which lasted over 20 years,Karlsson has an immense amount of experience in coaching since he took it up shortly before his retirement in 2006. “It was all about giving young players something from my experience,” he said. “If they achieve something like what I did,or achieve even better,I will be very happy.”
Karlsson has also attended courses to enhance his ability to train youngsters. Having coached players for the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) while he was still a player,he maintained that the “pedagogic” side is the most important part of coaching. “I know I have the experience in the technical side of the game,but what I didn’t know was how to transfer that knowledge and experience to young players,” he said.
“You need to understand the players and know how to speak to them in a way which they can understand.” He further stated that a coach must not work to boost your own ego,but rather,he needs to know what the player is thinking. “As a player,even I worked to fulfil my ego,but now I’m here to help the young players.”
While this is the first time Karlsson has visited Mumbai,it is not the first time he has been associated with the country. “I love this country,not only for the table tennis,but for the energy,” he said jubilantly. “Coming to India has always been an adventure for me.” Karlsson has been coming to India since 2007 and has commented that the quality of table tennis has drastically improved since he first visited the country. Karlsson has also been training two of the country’s top players,Soumyajit Ghosh and Harmeet Doshi for the past two years.
The two players,Ghosh and Doshi have also been participating in the Swedish League under Karlsson’s guidance. While the Swede said that India has not performed well in the Olympics because the game doesn’t have a big history in the country,he has high hopes for the two youngsters to change things around. “They are so young but have competed against some top quality players in the world,” he said. “If they continue with this form,then in another eight years or so they will reach their peak and play very well. We just need to be patient.” Karlsson himself finds inspiration to work hard and train players in India by the nation itself. Looking back into his experiences in the country,he mentions an account in which he heard some people in the country saying that India will never be a great table tennis playing nation. “That inspired me to do better.”
Karlsson will be joined by legends from India’s table tennis fraternity,including Kamlesh Mehta,Monalisa Barua Mehta and Mahendra Chiplunkar among others. With Karlsson’s coaching expertise blessing the young players in the camp,one may see the experienced Swede’s prediction coming true.
mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
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