by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Michail Katsikadelis is sports scientist with a special vocation for table tennis; he works in the model experimental school of Patras as a physical education teacher and co-operates with Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at the University of Thrace.
“Congratulations to your great achievement. Having gone through this not easy process it is something I appreciate very much. Greece and your colleagues at your university can be proud you have entered table tennis into sports science history.” Professor Miran Kondric, Chair ITTF Sports Science and Medical Committee
The thesis presented was “The effect of two different interval training protocols with the use of “Multiball” training exercises on the physical conditioning and technique of teenager adolescence table-tennis athletes”.
Notably Michail Katsikadelis has worked as a national coach for Hellenic Table Federation for 11 years and is now working as a club coach.
“My MSc was about talent identification in table tennis and was presented at the ITTF Sports Science Congress in Shanghai. Since then with colleagues at the University of Thrace and especially with Professor Pilianidis we have worked on match analysis from a training perspective.” Michail Katsikadelis
In 2008 with the support of the International Olympic Committee and the International Table Tennis Federation Michail Katsikadelis gained a scholarship which enabled him to become a graduate of the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Programme (ICECP) and publish the book “National Table Tennis Coaching Educational Program”.
In the past 10 years last decade Michail Katsikadelis has focused on multi-ball training, physiological responses and technical adaptations.
“We examined the effect that a table tennis interventional training programme had on adolescent male and female athletes regarding physiological reactions, the technique of table tennis and the physical conditioning. Moreover, we studied whether changes to the effect of the intervention programme can be traced, after stopping it. Finally, in order to assess the table tennis technique, the reliability of the table tennis specific test battery was investigated.” Michail Katsikadelis
The thesis was presented to the University Science Committee; the doctorate was awarded with high acclaim.
It is anticipated that Michail Katsikadelis will make a presentation at the ITTF Science Conference to be staged prior to the 2018 World Team Championships in Halmstad, Sweden.