5/22/2008       

On 16th March 2008, Nepal’s Surendra Suwal arrived in Pago Pago in American Samoa to conduct one of Olympic Solidarity’s most valuable programmes “Developing a National Sports Structure”; matters being organised in conjunction with the ITTF Development Programme.

It is a programme to which he is no stranger. He has led similar courses in Kiribati, Fiji and Vanuatu. The whole programme, which officially commenced on 18th March 2008 is scheduled to finish one hundred and sixty-three days later on 24th August 2008.

It is the first Olympic Solidarity Course for table tennis in American Samoa.

First Supper
“It was almost 10.00 pm when I arrived with the first supper being at the coach Iuni Maeve’s house, where I was supposed to be based for another five months”, said Surendra Suwal. “The welcome was really warm and friendly.”

The first task for Surendra Suwal was to organize the programme for the visit so meetings with members of the American Samoa Table Tennis Association and American Samoa National Olympic Committee were first on the agenda.

Schools
“The promotional visits to schools together with their `Gear up Program in Sports for Schools’ started from 26th March; I was glad to know that table tennis was one of the priority sports in the programme”, explained Surendra Suwal. “It was a very happy time for me with a total of twelve schools being visited; some schools had home made tables, whilst to make play possible smaller tables were put together.”

The theory that every table is a table tennis table was thoroughly endorsed.

Training
“The training for beginner athletes started on 19th March with eighteen boys and girls attending the Veteran’s Club in Tafuna, one of the major areas of American Samoa; unfortunately there was only nominal participation from the girls”, continued Surendra Suwal. “The training for beginners was scheduled from 3.30pm to 5.00pm, six days a week and 5.00pm to 7.00pm for the interested seniors to learn the sport.”

The basic programme organised, some amendments were needed.

“Every day changes, improvement and the development of the environment inside training venue were needed”, explained Surendra Suwal. “Many new faces came and showed their interest in learning the sport.”

Coaches Course
Next on the agenda was a Coaches Course which was staged from 31st March to 8th April with eleven participants in the first day, the course ended with seven club coaches receiving certificates.

“Everyone showed great interest in fulfilling all the requirements from the course”, said Surendra Suwal. “Participants were very happy to gain the basic knowledge of table tennis.”

Competition
A successful course completed, it was competition time.

“The 1st Open National Table Tennis Championship were organised from 15th to 17th May in order to bring all table tennis lovers together in the territory together”, continued Surendra Suwal. “Competitions for Under 12 boys and girls, under 17 boys and girls, Men and Women plus Veterans Men and Women over the age of fifty were held.”

Support
It was a tournament that catered for all.

“A total of fifty-nine participants from the west, east and central regions competed with great enthusiasm and showed a keen interest; the turn out was beyond expectation”, added Surendra Suwal. “It was really inspiring and motivating for all table tennis lovers to have Honorable Governor Togiola T.A. Tulafono in their first ever great event; he inaugurated the opening ceremony in the presence of First Lady Maryann Tulafono and other dignitaries from the American Samoa Olympic Committee, the American Samoa Table Tennis Association and the Veterans’ Club, and the Department of Park and Recreation plus many parents and visitors also attended.”

Mini Festival
Certainly it was a very good attendance for an island of less than sixty thousand inhabitants.

“The tournament was held in good competition environment inside the hall with a snacks stall outside the hall, drinks sponsored by Panamex Pacific Inc., and Medias”, said Surendra Suwal. “Indeed altogether it ended successfully almost as a mini festival.”

Media
Furthermore, the whole visit received outstanding media coverage.

“The media coverage was excellent, every table tennis event was in the news”, said Surendra Suwal. “All the government and private television channels like KVZK, Malama, channel 11, 93 KHJ and especially Channel Six, who regularly showed table tennis training and the competitions plus talk shows on Malama and 93KHJ were prominent, whilst also there was news every day in the Samoa Newspaper.”

Motivation
It was a fact that clearly motivated Surendra Suwal. “I felt like shouting Eureka”, smiled Surendra Suwal. “We had found the right sport, thanks to the media; table tennis can be considered a well known sport in American Samoa but of course there are still many challenges ahead.”

Thanks
A very successful course is in progress thanks to the immense co-operation of all concerned.

“I would like to thank Macata’anoa P. Gaoteote, President of the American Samoa Table Tennis Association, Ken Tupua, Secretary General of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee, Iuni Maeva, Vice President American Samoa Table Tennis Association and Java Young for their generous and continuous support and cooperation in making my job easy”, said Surendra Suwal. “Also, I would also like to thank Mr. Bill Hyman of channel 11 and Mr. David Robinson for their contribution and commitment for the sponsorship for table tennis in future.”

Valuable
The first part of the Developing a National Sports Structure Course in the area has been most valuable and the next few weeks and months promises even more progress; exciting times in American Samoa.

Smiling faces in American Samoa

Photo courtesy of Suendra Suwal