KARACHI: The Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) president, S.M. Sibtain, has asked the provincial and Islamabad associations to gear up activities from next month under “find and groom” programme.

In a communication to presidents of these affiliated bodies, he asked them to set the ball rolling by advising their respective districts to go ahead by staging an open boys and girls individual championships in December.

He suggested that schools and clubs should be encouraged to send entries besides accommodating other interested players in the event. Advising them not to charge entry fee from participants, he called upon the officials to make securing of CNIC or B forms of all the players mandatory for preparing a date base.

The PTTF president asked them to classify the players into colts (up to 12 years), cadets (between 12 to 16 years) and juniors (16 to 18 years) and ensure that the age is recoded faithfully. “This is important aspect and test of integrity besides success to our road map,” he added.

The holding of monthly district Masters (32/16 boys and girls) and quarterly divisional Masters (boys/girls teams, singles and doubles) will broaden the base and unearth budding talent, he maintained.

He said if the PTTF succeed in maintaining an authentic data of potential players age wise at district, divisional and provincial levels, if will help in planning and executing national sports development plans.

Continuing, he said, in the next stage, the PTTF will be in a position to approach Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to support a comprehensive four-year development plan.

The plan may envisaged training and coaching of at least four men and women apiece over 18 years, six boys and girls apiece between 16 to 18 years, eight boys and girls each between 12 to 16 years and 12 boys and girls each between 9 to 12 years, he said adding that this makes a pool of 60 players.

He was confident that the regular annual provincial and national events as well as Pakistan Masters ranking tournaments will soon start producing reservoir of players capable of meeting the international challenges.

The PTTF would reward the district that produces best results, he concluded.

Published in Dawn, November 20th , 2014