The Calgary Junior Table Tennis Association has grown to more than 200 members in just over a year after opening. Founder Yongjun Duan, a former Canadian national team coach, said the participation level is only growing. “We try to get more people, get involved to play, enjoy the sport,” Duan said. As the sport grows in the province, a unique exchange program is helping Alberta’s athletes access to some of the world’s best coaching. Last year, several players trained in China for up to five hours a day. Peter Vuong, president of the Alberta Table Tennis Training Centre, said the sport has come a long way since he arrived 13 years ago. At the time, finding space to train was a challenge, but Alberta now has seven dedicated table tennis facilities. Eight-year-old Adalius Ng recently finished third in the U11 division at the Youth World Table Tennis Championships in Toronto earlier this spring. After training in Harbin, China, Ng said the experience improved his footwork, while Calgary athlete Anya Dai said working with Chinese coaches has helped sharpen her game. Duan hopes more international exchanges and high-level coaching opportunities will continue to grow the sport and attract players from across Canada.
