Each player’s physical status was tested and profiled, and an individual injury prevention programme was developed by compass Sport Prevention Specialist Krisztina Szvitán. Every player received individual coaching based on their personal status and needs, and all participants completed the Spinsight skill test.

Individuality, physical balance and technical table tennis skills were at the heart of the compass summer camp, which was held in Saarbrücken from August 10th to 14th.

Evelyn Simon. Photo: compass

At a typical table tennis summer camp, there is one coach for every eight to twelve players. When compass arranged its annual summer camp, there were seven coaches for nine players – all with the aim of providing maximum individual attention and supporting each participant's development.

"We basically had two main goals for this year's camp," says compass expert coach Evelyn Simon, who led the camp. "We wanted to work closely with the compass-supported players Adela Brhelova and Alyssia Bataille – and to invite promising young players together with their highly motivated coaches, giving us the opportunity to get to know them, work together and prepare for the season."

Producing optimal spin and speed was one of the main technical themes of the camp. Another aim was to keep both sides active during all exercises at the table. The daily routine started at 09:00 with one hour of physical drills and exercises, followed by two hours of table tennis, lunch and rest. The afternoon and evening were dedicated to individual practice, including multiball training and individual work.

Krisztian Nagy-Hegedus, personal coach of German junior world champion Annett Kaufmann, focused some of his work during the week on Arthur Xian Xiao, a French talent born in 2014.

“He was very positive and listened openly and carefully. He has a good feel for the ball and responded very well to advice, actively putting it into practice.”

Young talents, whether supported by compass or not, usually start playing at an early age – and they train a lot. This places considerable demands on their bodies from a young age, which can also affect their table tennis development. To gain a clearer understanding of each player’s physical condition, compass Sport Prevention Specialist Krisztina Szvitán worked with the participants throughout the week in an area that still receives relatively little attention, despite being extremely important.

“I tested the players by watching them walk and move in different directions,” Krisztina explains. “Then I carried out a functional test consisting of different exercises. I also assessed their dynamic movement and balance.”

Krisztina then entered the results into her computer to create an individual injury risk profile. Based on the results, she developed specific exercises to improve balance and strengthen critical areas, which the players can now continue to work on at home.

“After about three months, it is time for a new injury prevention test, which will provide an updated injury risk profile and will most likely lead to adjustments to the prevention programme,” Krisztina Szvitán concluded.