Promoting the Island as a tourist destination through table tennis may be a first, but then few others members of the North American Table Tennis Union can boast such a setting ... “pink sandy beaches with the sun setting in the distant horizon on a clear azure blue ocean carpet”.

Such a scene was painted in an article in the International Table Tennis Federation’s website about the ITTF/PTT Level One Coach Education Course and Training Camp held in Bermuda two weeks ago.

Administered locally by the Bermuda Table Tennis Association and backed by the Bermuda Olympic Association, it was the first such course to be held on an Island that is a member of the North American Table Tennis Union. The article on the website, visited by millions, proved to be good exposure for Bermuda’s tourism.

“The Island is located a two hour flight east of North Carolina in the United States and four hours west of the United Kingdom,” Christian Lillieroos, a visiting official, said.

“The British have created a vacation paradise hardly matched anywhere else in the world. The interest in table tennis is being revived by a local club call Smash, catering to youngsters interested in the sport.

“In table tennis Jaymo Durham also has a vision and it started with the creation of the new phenomena; a full time commercial table tennis club named “Smash” in a prime location downtown in the vacation mecca Hamilton city,” Lillieroos wrote. “Few people believed in the idea in the beginning but the club opened up in August 2014 and has literally been a smashing success.

“The club has some inspirational parts from Suzan Sarandon’s Spin franchise in New York City but with no alcohol served; they might have the best table tennis birthday parties in the world. They have eight table tennis courts combined with a “kids cave”, five rigged computer games stations, where the kids are in heaven for a couple of hours; now the parents are complaining that the kids never wants to leave.”

Durham has seemingly helped make table tennis an exciting thing for youngsters to do.

“So far in the club’s short history about 250 kids age ten to fifteen years have gone through the club parties,” Lillieroos wrote. “At the parties the club includes a half-hour lesson with the basics of table tennis, a proper grip, ready position and rules so they can enjoy the sport more.

“The second most popular activity is weekend table tennis dating nights; a great sound system, a local radio personality who calls himself Brotha Ritchie as the DJ and Master of Ceremonies.

“Friday and Saturday nights are rocking until midnight and everyone has a blast, he always ends his assignments with his trademark slogan ‘bless up’. The trick now is to convert some of this enthusiasm on a recreational level to some high performance table tennis for the ones that are interested.

“For those who want to improve, top class facilities with excellent lighting and good quality tables are present. All ensuring that table tennis is making a comeback.”