St. Mary’s College and Prep pupils compete in the Individual National Schools Table Tennis Finals!

30 May 2024

The competition pathway for schools in England is organised by Table Tennis England as part of its wider competition structure. Under the title English Schools Table Tennis, there are two National Schools Competitions – one for teams and the other for individuals.

Fifty-one School’s Counties, approximately 140 schools, affiliated with Table Tennis England hold qualifying events in their counties across England. The winners then represent their schools’ counties in the Butterfly National Schools Competitions.

This year for the first time ever we have had three players from three different age groups represent St. Mary’s at the National level competition. 

Those competing from St. Mary’s College are Lower Sixth student, Jack Savage, competing in the U19 boys’ and Isabella Hamer in Year 10, competing in the U16 girls’ category. From our Preparatory School is Year 5 pupil, Nyasha Roberts aged 10 competing in the U11 Girls’ category.

All of them placed in the Merseyside competition and progressed through to represent the schools and Merseyside in the Individual National Finals held in Wolverhampton on 27 April this year. The national event had over 300 competitors in age groups ranging from under 11 to Under 19. All three students did amazing. Nyasha managed to reach the quarter finals in the U11’s, Isabella placed 5th in the U16 Girls and Jack placed 4th in the U19 Boys, with both of them encountering the number 1 seed in their respective groups.

This year’s success is the best we’ve had yet following on from a previous successful period with last year’s Under 16 College boys’ team Jack S, Louie C, Luke G and Luke P reaching the National finals for the first time and placed 4th in the competition for the county.

We are thrilled with the success of our students in their skilled sport. Thanks to the specialist training we run at the Prep with Lancashire coach Dave Graham. Other county players have come from the College including Elliot Cooper and Daisy Boulton and all of these children attended the Prep, coached by Dave and then progressed on to College.

The interest in the sport has skyrocketed at the Prep, having regularly over 40 children attend lunchtime table tennis in addition to the squad’s weekly training sessions. 

The Prep boys’ squad were Merseyside U11 boys champions and reached the semi-finals of the National competition this year, the boys are aged 9/10. Diego (year 5) was the runner-up in Merseyside U11 boys.

You can view all of our St. Mary’s superstars who are our current Table Tennis players representing St. Mary’s in our school blog.