The Bahamas Table Tennis Federation will be hosting its spring tournament on Saturday, May 6 at L.W. Young Junior High School on Bernard Road. Competition gets underway at 9 a.m.

The competition will feature four divisions that will have players battling for the championship trophies and bragging rights. The divisions will include males and females in the 11-and-under, 15-and-under, 18-and-under and open categories.

Sudan Khalfani, organizer for the tournament, is excited to have the kids and adults in action.

"The preparations are coming along very well and we are ready for the event. We are expecting all skill levels to attend, from young children who are beginners to senior players with international experience," Khalfani said.

It is a free tournament and Khalfani is expecting over 50 participants. The deadline to register is today and interested persons can do so by calling the telephone number (242) 426-5153 or by sending an e-mail to the address bahamasyouthtt@gmail.com.

According to Khalfani, this tournament is a part of their bigger plan in building a national team. They are looking at determining who are the best players in the country and assessing skill levels before getting the advanced program underway as they look to create a table tennis culture.

The federation has been going into schools and conducting training sessions, looking to engage more in playing the sport.

"The training is growing exponentially, and with the help of the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg and his ministry, we can maximize our potential. I see a few children who can beat the average adult player. The growth in the sport has been phenomenal with many teachers taking it upon themselves to introduce the game to hundreds of children. Right now, table tennis is played in over 10 schools and more will follow once we get the equipment," Khalfani said.

This is the second tournament for the year. The last one was held on February 25.

The federation is hosting a six-week summer camp starting in June, which will be for all interested young persons. There is limited space, so parents interested in getting their children involved can send an e-mail to Khalfani at bahamasyouthtt@gmail.com or go to the Facebook pages 'The Bahamas Table Tennis Federation or The Bahamas Youth Table Tennis Academy' for more details.

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