KARACHI, June 5: The Karachi Table Tennis Association (KTTA) is back on track after remaining dormant for years. This is evident from the fact that the body on Thursday unveiled plans to conduct a two-month summer coaching camp for under-18 boys and girls which gets into action at Islamia Club from June 10.

This was preceded by the successful staging of the 36th Karachi Table Tennis Championships last week.

An ambitious KTTA chairman, Dr. Farhan Essa, said 24 boys and as many girls in three age categories — under-12, under-15 and under-18 — will go through the drills in two separate sessions under the guidance of qualified coaches.

The three-hour 9.00am to 12.00noon morning session is meant exclusively for girls while the boys will have their workouts from 5.00pm to 8.00pm in the evening.

He said trials will be conducted in case the number of players exceeds the required strength.

To a query he put the estimated cost of the camp to Rs 350,000 which include remuneration of coaches, providing rubbers to all camp trainees, taking care of players nutrition, multimedia facilities etc.

Emphasis will also be made on players’ physical fitness during the camp, he said.

ITTF qualified coach and a former SAF Games gold medallist, Arif Khan, has been named camp commandant. He will be assisted by former internationals, Arif Nakhuda, Rubina Arif, Nazo Tahir and Noor Jehan in addition to a team of volunteers.

President of the KTTA, former international Javed Chotani, said some commercial firms have come forward with the desire to sponsor up and coming Karachi players by raising their teams.