Road Trip to Aberdeen Table Tennis Club!

The Cooke & Deaton Table Tennis team recently embarked on our most ambitious journey yet—a 7-hour road trip up to Aberdeen! The trip began on the Friday morning, and after soaking in the stunning Scottish scenery, we arrived in Aberdeen that evening, ready for a packed weekend of table tennis coaching.

Our fantastic host for the weekend, Catherine, greeted us warmly. Catherine has been a cherished friend of Cooke & Deaton since attending our Summer School back in 2017. A huge thank you to her for helping Aberdeen District Table Tennis Association (ADTTA) in organising the event but also graciously hosting Alan, Nicola, and Kelly for the weekend. We were spoiled with lovely Scottish treats waiting for us upon arrival, setting the tone for what would be a brilliant weekend.

Training Kicks Off at Aberdeen Sports Village

Saturday morning saw the start of two full days of intense coaching at the impressive Aberdeen Sports Village, a venue that has hosted high-profile events like the 2014 Commonwealth Water Polo Championships and served as a pre-games training hub for the Cameroon Olympic team ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

With around 24 players attending each day, ranging in age from 8 to 80, we were thrilled to see some great players, including a strong presence of women and girls both as players and coaches. The sessions were full of energy, with lots of questions from participants eager to learn. It was particularly rewarding to see so many performance-level players who gave it their all throughout the weekend.

As this was a pre-season training camp, our focus was on getting the players match-ready. We worked on essential skills like changing the pace of the ball, spin, speed, and variation, as well as perfecting serves. The key message we emphasized was the importance of practice—taking what we covered in the sessions and applying it will make all the difference in your game.

A Bit of Fun in the Sun

After a full day of coaching, we managed to sneak in a quick trip to the beach on Saturday evening, where the sun was still shining. Enjoying a cup of tea at a café on the seafront with views of the beach and the nearby funfair was the perfect way to unwind before gearing up for another day of training.

Wrapping Up the Weekend

By Sunday afternoon, after another successful day of coaching, we began our journey home around 5 pm, arriving back just before midnight.

A massive thank you to Aberdeen District Table Tennis Association for hosting us and to all the coaches, including Natalie, Charlie, and Max, who helped make this weekend such a success. Special thanks to Catherine and ADTTA once again for their incredible organisation and hospitality, and to treasurer Brian for making this event possible. Thank you all for your support on this venture, bringing everyone together, not just those local to Aberdeen but from further afar, including from other Scottish Isles.

The weekend was met with such positive feedback, with many asking when we’ll be returning to Aberdeen—hopefully, we’ll be back soon for more coaching and table tennis fun!