French table tennis is at the top

The training here is coming to an end and with one day left everyone is pretty tired. it has been a tough couple of weeks and the usual heard training with lots of multi ball and service practice.
And of course there is also the physicals which have not been as hard this year but because of the weather and the heat it is always difficult no matter what is done.

As usual top French players such as Christophe Legout and Michel Martinez are here in addition to players who are excellent juniors like Damien Nichole and Gregoire Jean. Also here training is the Under 10 runner up in the National championships Damien Ivars. France is awash in good young players at the moment especially in the boys category.

They have won the Cadet boys at EYC for the past three years in a row and now they are all talking about Nolan Givone who is supposed to be better than any of the others that went before and he is only 10!

Sunshine all the way

Got to the beach today. It was really hot and perhaps some people did not put enough sun cream on!!!

They can's say they were not told!!

They could be sore tomorrow

Its back to training in the morning for another four days of tough play. Twice a day for 3 hours including the physicals.

The Sun is Back

Sun is shining and yet I still have to work!! All the rain of the first days is gone and the temperatures are up to a more normal 30 degrees.

Still there is so much to do before the season proper kicks off. Programmes and dates to juggles and that is not all that easy as clashes are inevitable.

French Leagues dates seem to multiply every year even though it is only 14 weekends!

Did I say only.....

Rain falls

Arrived in France for our annual camp. They say some things never change but really it's not true!

It is pouring rain here. Big lightning storm. Not the normal conditions you expect at all.

Training in the morning at 9am

Well maybe some things DO never change....

Christophe Legout

It was a great chance to hear one of the world's top players speak about Table Tennis today when Christophe Legout took a few minutes away from his preparation for the European Championships to speak to all the players about all things table tennis. Still ranked in the top 3 in France and with a great record as a player, he show everyone some tips about service and then spoke about his preparation for matches, about his physical training programme, about the importance of self motivation and not relying always on others to do everything for you.
Among the most interesting things was his belief that service must be placed at many different points on the table to be effective and that you can make the same spin but by using placement you can fool your opponent into making an error on the return.
His background was interesting also as he did not start playing till he was eleven. He was involved in Karate before that. Also the French athletics association asked him to compete for them. He was always physically fit so adapting to different sports was relatively easy for him.
It was also interesting that he keeps a dairy of every player he has ever played and the tactics for playing against them. Even the weakest opponent he puts a comment into the diary for them. He spoke also about being nervous in matches and how to combat that and how it can be that you are nervous in a simple league match but then in the olympics you can achieve a calm. state. Sometimes it is because some coach told you that this is important and it makes you more nervous.
He was a very interesting and passionate speaker about table tennis and is a great ambassador for the sport.

A croissant in Mosson

More the head cook than the head coach, I have cooked for the club players this week in France. As a result I have not seen so much action from the hall. but when I did make it there this morning, it was the usual hive of activity.
There are 48 players on the camp this week and the standard is high with Christope Legout, Leannart Werkling, Zhang Hongming as well as a host of other high level players. It is a an impressive line up of top players with a hard working atmosphere. Our players are tired now but that is understandable. No 8km in the morning and tournament tomorrow also. Happy days

The Bells, the bells...

It's different this season without Ghislain. The former head coach of MTT has retired now to persue other interests. He was still around for a chat in his own inimitable style. Still the same character he was. Got me thinking about past years at the training here and I put together a compilation of observations from those years. The photos is the bells from the local monastery in Boutonnet.

The bells of Sant Pierre are calling the faithful to prayer in the Butonnet district of Montpellier. The early morning air is hot and expectant. It’s the feast of San Maria and the streets are quiet and empty. Down the road, past the fountain and across the wooden tracks of the tramway there is a different kind of worship going on in the Gymnase Alain Achille.

The morning silence is disturbed only by the rhythmic sound of table tennis balls and Ghislain Rolandi stalks around like the high priest of le ping pong supervising the practice. The players have just returned from the traditional eight kilometre morning run and are facing two hours of hard training in the growing heat of the day. The hall oozes sweat and effort. This is not the place for the faint hearted.Like Ghislain says “Table Tennis is number One. Everything else comes after".

The coaches are forthright in their opinions and everyone knows where they stand. And if you are standing that’s your first mistake. You can practice your serves or do some physicals. Slackers are not tolerated. You earn the right to practice with good players by hard work and dedication. Whining prima donnas need not apply.

In the quiet University quarter of Boutonnet, it does not seem possible that such hard effort and high intensity training happens inside this Table tennis hall. Ghislan is rightly proud of the high level of the players and the number of people who come to Montpellier for this very reason. But he is ruthless in his assessment of the players.

"The amateur players who come here cannot expect to play with the professional players.It is not good enough for them to practice with players like these" he tells all the gathered participants. Always the straight talking approach which leaves you in doubt where you stand.

For the young players there is the advantage of having Stephan LeBrun taking the training. Stephan was No.7 in France and is still No.59. He is coach to the pro A team in Istres but played for Montpellier in the European Cup winning team of 2002. He is clearly an excellent coach and he guides the young players expertly through their routine.

Although the basic important things were the same there were some differences this year. No Paintball, but do you really want Ghislain chasing you through the forest with a souped-up pellet gun after doing three hours of training?? No Booster. But do you really want to be hurled around at a terrifying 90km strapped to the end of a large bar.

It's a daunting experience for your first time.You come to training. All these brilliant players are strolling into the hall. The bells are ringing from the local monastery like the chimes of Doom and Ghislain shakes your hand slowly and utters his usual greeting - Welcome to Hell!