Coaches and match officials education remains a cornerstone of the ITTF Development Plan. The 2025 ITTF Mentorship Initiative is designed to foster professional growth through personalised guidance from highly experienced international experts. Spanning up to five months, the mentorship includes regular online sessions, focused monthly assignments, and potential on-site learning experiences.

For 2025, the initiative will concentrate on two key profiles: coaches and referees. Top-performing participants will benefit from exclusive opportunities to expand their practical experience. Selected top-performing coaches may be invited to the ITTF Global Coaching Conference 2025, whilst the most outstanding referees in the project could be nominated to officiate at an international ITTF/WTT event during the year.

Building on its success, the 2024 edition of the ITTF Mentorship engaged 31 mentees from 26 Member Associations across four continents. Among them were 17 match officials, including young umpire candidates and referee evaluators-in-training, and 14 coaches covering both able-bodied and Para table tennis areas.

Notable Achievements

Coach Mentees:

• Alvin Katumba (Uganda) has won four WTT titles with his player Joseph Sebatindira and participated in the 2024 World Hopes Week and Challenge
• Amah Amede (Togo) earned the gold medal at the 2024 West Africa Regional Championships
• Daniel Peterossi (Brazil) participated in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games with the Brazilian Paralympic team, winning four bronze medals with the team. He also participated in the 2024 ITTF Para Table Tennis Training Camp in São Paulo, Brazil
• Haikun Wang (New Zealand) won the 2024 World Hopes Week & Challenge title with his player Eli Ho

Match Officials:

• Young umpire mentees Margareta Suryani (Indonesia) and Mwape Mawbwe (Zambia) successfully passed the 2024 International Umpire Examination and became international umpires
• Evaluator trainee Najeh Ghanem (Tunisia) participated in the Train of Trainers Workshop in Doha and recently conducted a basic umpires course in Côte d’Ivoire

Testimonials from Participants

“I found this experience very helpful. I gained new perspectives through discussions with other coaches and learned practical coaching methods from our mentor. Working on the assignments also helped me reflect on my coaching practices, which has been useful for improving my table tennis coaching skills.”
Yudong Shi (Australia), Coach Mentee

“This programme has been really helpful. It has guided me closely in my transition from player to coach. Ryan has been a very good mentor, always available if we had any inquiries or when we asked for advice. Thank you for the opportunity. I look forward to further programmes to develop my coaching skills.”
Fathimath Jumana (Maldives), Coach Mentee

“I have learnt a lot in this programme and realised that we all face the same challenges – developing countries as well as elite countries. You never stop learning.”
Fungai Tanhara (Zimbabwe), Coach Mentee

“Overall, the mentorship proved to be incredibly valuable. With the guidance of an experienced mentor, I gained new skills and knowledge. The issues I faced with my umpiring presentation were addressed and I received helpful guidance. Moreover, the activities with mentees from diverse backgrounds provided valuable opportunities for interaction, fostering a deeper understanding of the assignments.”
Jia Chun Lim (Malaysia), Umpire Mentee

“This programme is very effective in developing young umpires in the long term and is highly motivating for continuing to improve umpiring skills.”
Margareta Suryani (Indonesia), Umpire Mentee

“The programme was fruitful and important. Especially the scientific and pedagogical method of the mentor was wonderful and he was an example to be followed. I am looking forward to the next step.”
Najeh Ghanem (Tunisia), Evaluator Trainee Mentee

Application Process for 2025

In 2025, coaches and match officials will be selected via an online application process in accordance with the respective 2025 Continental Development Programmes. Each Member Association is entitled to apply with a maximum of:

• Two candidates (one female and one male) in the able-bodied coaching area
• Two candidates (one female and one male) in the Para coaching area
• Two candidates (one male and one female) in the referees area

Applications are open to candidates from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania with a deadline of 24 June 2025.

For more information and to apply, please contact your respective Member Association.