I was selected to attend the first ITTF/IPTTC Level 1 Coaching Certification & Course Conductors Seminar by the USATT Coaches Committee in 2010 and because of that selection I was chosen to take part in the first ITTF Level 2 course held in the U.S. This was not just great U.S. table tennis coaches, but several came from ITTF high growth areas. Spain, Brazil and Turkey all got represented here by top coaches and former great table tennis players.

Level 2 is a whole different skill set than Level 1, but some serious thought went into keeping core principles the same, while challenging and teaching fellow coaches. The course conductor could not have been more dynamic than the one chosen to do the first U.S. course. Philippe Molodzoff  of France not only was our course conductor but wrote the Advanced Training Manual. While very technical, the material is presented in sections that really make sense to those without a post doctorial degree.

I really improved on many fronts and wish to thank three of the best teammates possible: Dennis Davis from California, who as my roommate kept me focused; Federico Bassetti from Illinois (via Sicily), our mad scientist and overall physical training guru and Richard McAfee – the U.S. based ITTF trainer extraordinaire and the guy who leads by example and pushes all U.S. table tennis coaches to raise the bar!

Special thanks to USA National Junior Boys Coach Shigang “Alex” Yang who supervised my coaching and entrusted me not to mess up some of his great young table tennis players in Atlanta, Georgia.

Roger Dickson