eleven table tennis fanatics from Belgium visited Crayford to maintain a tradition started many years ago and raise the profile of the sport, writes Kevin Impey.

The youngsters from the St Jozef's Institute were playing members, aged 14 and 15, of the Oakwood Table Tennis Club, based at the VCD Sports Club in Old Road, Crayford, for the Jean-Pierre Devos shield.

It was the first time this particular trophy has been played for, as Oakwood chairman Chris Baker explained: "Jean-Pierre was a schoolmaster at St Jozef's.

"Over many years he coached table tennis players at the school, encouraged them to join clubs in Belgium and improve their game, and was very revered at St Jozef's.

"Sadly, he died of a brain haemorrhage earlier this year at the age of 58.

"So we thought this was an appropriate way to remmember him."

Baker added: "Our tournaments against St Jozef's are played on an exchange basis and they gave us a thrashing when we went over there last year.

"But we got our own back this time, winning all but one of the 34 games played in three groups on a round robin basis."

Baker feels that a £5,000 Sport England grant received early in the summer is already paying dividends.

He added: "The grant enabled us to take on two professional coaches, Ian Parsonage and Alan Watson, to tutor our youngsters and the results against St Jozef's would suggest that we are improving the all-round strength and ability of our members.

"We are very keen to promote table tennis at grass-roots level and we have started coaching in several local primary schools."

If you are interested in playing table tennis, you are invited to turn up on any Thursday from 7-9pm when you will be made welcome. Alternatively, call Eric Jenkins on 020 8303 8312 or Chris Baker on 01322 341722 for more details.

November 14, 2001 9:24