First a morning jog, then table tennis all day long. A fun and social gathering filled with laughter among new friends. The nearly 20 young table tennis players who participated in the STIGA compass Cup & Camp in Eskilstuna were reluctant to go home when the event came to an end. “It was so much fun. Those were the best days of my life,” one of the participants told his mother when she asked why he hadn’t called home once during the four-day camp.

It was likely the first time that such a large group of seven- and eight-year-olds (born in 2017 and 2018) from all over Sweden had gathered to train, compete, and spend time together through table tennis.

“The idea behind the STIGA compass Cup & Camp 2026 was to bring together the most enthusiastic children who started playing table tennis after Truls Möregårdh and the Swedish men’s team won silver medals at the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024,” explains Martin Björkryd of Eskilstuna by STIGA, which organized the four-day event at Vilsta Sportcenter in Eskilstuna.

“This is a unique initiative by STIGA Sports, Eskilstuna by STIGA, the Swedish Table Tennis Association, and us,” said compass Managing Director Daniel Zwickl. “Offering young players the opportunity to train and compete at such an early age in a positive and fair environment is extremely valuable. We are delighted to support this initiative, especially at a time when interest in Swedish table tennis is booming thanks to Truls and the recent success of the national team.”

The children had the opportunity to train, play matches, socialize, watch the World Team Championships on a big screen, and take part in various activities together with their parents and coaches.

“The goal was to strengthen the children’s skills,” Martin continues. “We also wanted to give them and their parents the opportunity to connect with other table tennis enthusiasts. Above all, we hoped to inspire them to continue developing their game and to meet again at future competitions around Sweden.”

It began with check-in on Walpurgis Night, well away from the thousands of Eskilstuna residents gathered around the traditional bonfire at the foot of the ski slope in the Vilsta area. The following day, Mattias Syrén, former head coach of the Swedish women’s national team and former national team coach in Denmark, led two training sessions in the sports hall, which had been equipped with brand-new tables, barriers and umpire tables.

“It’s interesting to get a glimpse of what the next generation of Swedish table tennis looks like,” said Mattias Syrén. “There is talent, and the ages of 7 to 9 are a great time to teach positioning, movement and ball contact. If the fundamentals are solid from the start, it becomes much easier to develop the finer details of the game later on.

The atmosphere was fantastic, and it was great to see so many children eager to play table tennis and willing to travel when given the opportunity. It is a great initiative by compass and was very well organized by Martin.”

Mattias believes that the Swedish Table Tennis Association should aim to establish a system for monitoring and supporting players in this age group on a broader scale.

“If there were four or five nationwide camps each year for 7- to 9-year-olds, providing high-quality instruction in technique and movement, young players would be in a much stronger position to continue their development later on.”

Rebecka Bergfeldt, an umpire at the highest international level, joined the camp to explain why rules are important in table tennis and to share her experiences from major international championships.

Saturday was dedicated to putting the lessons from Syrén’s training sessions into practice through match play. In addition, all participants took part in multiball training. As an extra highlight, everyone also had the opportunity to challenge Eskilstuna-born Elite Series player and compass alumnus David Björkryd.

David’s father, Martin, the camp organizer, gave a presentation for the parents about what it has been like to support a table tennis enthusiast who has been deeply committed to the sport from an early age. Later in the day, everyone gathered to watch Sweden’s men’s team take on Korea Republic at the World Team Championships.

Sunday morning was devoted to the tournament. In the end, David Wallgren from Gävle was the only player to remain undefeated, winning all of his matches.

Between scheduled activities, there was plenty of time for meals and socializing in the hotel’s common room. While the parents worked together on a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, the children played table tennis on a mini table, enjoyed table hockey games, and tested their reaction speed on the Night Duel machine—the same challenge featured on the popular Swedish television show Mästarnas mästare (Masters of the Masters), where former elite athletes compete in a variety of sporting challenges.

After the prize ceremony, where all participants received generous awards and giveaways from the compass Foundation, it was time to head home. The children, parents, and coaches left happy and satisfied, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

What participants appreciated most was the opportunity to make new friends and connect with families from other clubs across Sweden. The program was praised for being varied and well organized, offering a good balance of training, competition, and social activities. The camp leaders also received high praise for their warm dedication and their ability to make every child feel welcome and included.

The only things that were not quite perfect, according to the children, were the sausage stroganoff, which was seasoned with rosemary, and the potatoes, which received at least one complaint. And, of course, one or two participants might have preferred to go straight from their hotel room to breakfast rather than taking part in the mandatory morning jog first.