Table tennis' world governing body is stepping in to help arrest the sport's decline in Bermuda.

Development Manager of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Glenn Tepper is currently on the Island as part of a campaign to spur interest in the game, particularly among children. His visit follows a new table tennis alliance involving Bermuda, the USA and Canada.

"We've just had a major meeting with the North American Table Tennis Union (NATTU) and we're trying to put together a programme where Bermuda, Canada and the USA will work together for the joint development of the sport in this region.

"This visit is the first one of that programme focusing on getting things started from the grassroots in Bermuda," said Tepper. "We're going to focus on educating teachers and coaches from across Bermuda to try and popularise table tennis in schools and communities. We have a specific schools' programme on table tennis with lesson plans clearly setting out how to introduce the sport into the schools, even with minimal equipment. We're hoping Bermuda's table tennis will be built into something really strong."

However, the initiative to train teachers as tutors ran into problems because of last week's teachers' strike. To counteract that, president of Bermuda Table Tennis Association Myron Piper said Tepper had been holding training courses at Bermuda College and the sessions were going well.

"We are training coaches and some of Bermuda's top-level players to become coaches so that in the absence of the schoolteachers we will have infrastructure in place that we can go and demonstrate how to introduce the game to the kids.

"Table tennis here is on the decline and we have been very fortunate that through this newly-formed association - NATTU - the ITTF is sponsoring our development programme," explained Piper.

Urging would-be table tennis players to get involved in the sport, the association president noted there was a `B' Division in this year's league competition which starts tomorrow at Berkeley Institute.

"That's considered a recreational division, so anyone interested in trying table tennis or in just playing for fun can come and sign up."

Those interested in finding out more about the table tennis development programme can contact Myron Piper at 235-4864 or 299-1080 or via mpipernorthrock.bm.