Stephen Gertsen sampled Commonwealth Games table tennis action for Wales in Delhi in 2010.
Now, he is enjoying a fresh burst of excitement from helping a batch of youngsters in the north reach for the stars.
The 37-year-old explained the sport is on course to hit new heights locally thanks to the creation of a new Highland Table Tennis League – the first such competition since the 1980s.
Teams from Inverness, Tain, Dingwall, Nairn, Elgin and Fort William compete over three competitive Sundays in a bid to become champions. Round one has been played with Inverness A the early front-runners.
Stephen has been based in Inverness for almost nine years, having decided that coaching was his strength.
Fantastic experiences as a player
Competing for his country at such high standards was a fabulous foundation which led to him demonstrating his coaching ability for Scotland.
He said: “I was team manager and men’s coach for Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast in 2018.
“I have also been to the Commonwealth Games as a player for Wales in 2010 in Delhi. I was 24 or 25 at that time.
“At that one, we did pretty well, although I can’t take too much of the credit for it. I was in the team, but there were two players who were at a better level than me, who got many important wins.
“I was in the team and did contribute, but overall, we reached the quarter-finals where we lost to Singapore, so it was pleasing to get that far.
“In a team event at the Commonwealth Championships, I won a bronze medal, although it is not as prestigious as the Commonwealth Games.
“The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event, which is a big one for table tennis players from Wales and Scotland for example, but the Commonwealth Championships is just for table tennis and I have a bronze medal from that in Glasgow 2009.
“The 2010 Commonwealth Games was the last time I actively played, as I was coaching full-time alongside trying to compete.
“After those Games, I stopped playing completely and concentrated on coaching.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be good enough to play at the Olympics, for example, but I had some great experiences playing for Wales all over the world, including in World and European Championships. That was my level and I decided to concentrate on a career in coaching after that.”
New league is ‘massive boost’ locally
When Stephen and his wife Marina moved from London to the Highland capital eight years ago, he would never have believed the interest in table tennis would have reached such encouraging levels by now.
With Inverness Tennis and Squash Club opening its doors to table tennis players, giving them a fixed base which they can use alongside the nearby Highland Council-run Inverness Leisure, there is a renewed enthusiasm as players from the ages of seven to early 80s take to the tables.
Swansea-born Stephen explained the transformation has been remarkable.
The UHI Moray sport and fitness lecturer said: “The new Highland table tennis league is a massive boost locally.
“The volunteers, who have grown in numbers over the years, have put a lot of effort in, such as (coach) Rae (Jack), Mike Dow (Highland League secretary), and our club captain Gwyneth Chisholm, who is incredible. They have been amazing in getting it organised. It’s so rewarding to see it happen.
“I moved up here eight years ago and it was a million miles away from having any competition. There were not enough players to do anything.
“Social groups would have some social games now and again, but we really have started at the bottom.“We have tried to introduce players and get more players involved in the sport, at all ages and abilities.
“People started to come out of the woodwork, who maybe hadn’t played for such a long time, so to see everyone play those first round of Highland League fixtures was really enjoyable to watch.
“There was such a good atmosphere. It was great to see all the clubs take part. It was a good spread.
“I also run a club in Elgin, Moray Table Tennis Club, for example, and they came across for it as well.”
Looking forward to the Highland League starting tomorrow! Exciting to see the growth of Table Tennis and the return of competitive play in the region, after more than 30 years! https://t.co/GYDNuXGlYA
— Stephen Gertsen (@GertsenTT) November 11, 2023
Following the lead of squash stars
The use of the Bishops Road tennis and squash club cannot be underplayed, and he hopes it might lead to table tennis players following local squash stars such as Greg Lobban and Alan Clyne, whose successful careers far and wide.
Stephen said: “On the Highland League Sundays, we effectively take over Inverness Tennis and Squash Club, whose whole management have been absolutely brilliant with us to give us a platform and venue to play our sport alongside those playing tennis and squash.
“Hopefully, we are catching up on those racket sports in terms of numbers. It would be great to follow the success especially of the squash players in the future.”
Scotland target for flourishing youths
A trio of kids, 13-year-old Connor Cadden along with Alexander Stepney and Connor’s sister Lacey Cadden, who are both 11, are showing real potential under Gertsen’s guidance.
And others are catching the eye too, which is another sign of real progress.
Stephen said: “In the last two years, the juniors have really come on.
“As a club, there has been a lot of time and energy put into getting more kids through the door to give them more opportunities to play as well as have coaching.
“We have several younger players showing huge potential who could go on to represent Scotland in their age groups in the future, and not many players from the Highlands have achieved this.
“We started junior sessions simply off the back of more younger players wanting to play and being able to provide junior taster sessions as result of funding from Foundation Scotland.
“It is challenging. I work alongside it and have my own coaching business. It is hard to fit it all in. There is a lot going on, but it’s going well at the club and I’m really positive about where we were compared to where we are now.
“Just before Covid, at Inverness Tennis and Squash Club, we had just one member who were there just for table tennis.
“There may have been other tennis and squash players who played (table tennis) now and again, but there was just one signed up for table tennis and now we have around 40 (table tennis) members.
“So, that has grown massively within two or three years, we now have the tables set up permanently, we used to share the studio with other activities.
“There was a time when I would go into the table tennis studio, and it would just be me coaching someone else. Now we have loads of people in there playing matches before, during and after my sessions – it’s much busier. There is a good energy about it all.”
Rae Jack, the title winner in his 70s
Proving the point that age is no barrier to success, Stephen pointed towards one bigger-hitter, who is a brilliant advocate for table tennis as well as being a coach and player.
He added: “We have Rae Jack who went from not playing any competitions really, well at least for over 30 years, to winning the Scottish National Veterans Championships’ tournament for the over-70s.
“He has done amazing work for our club. He’s put a lot of work in.
“He’s qualified to play for Scotland on two occasions in the veterans’ home nations tournament and he was national champion two years ago as well for his age group.
“These guys are still competitive and it’s great to see.”
Great to have Craig Bryant, former England International, running the session for our players at club night! pic.twitter.com/Z1fkkmdTCq
— Inverness Table Tennis Club (ITSC) (@InvernessTT) December 1, 2023
New division can help bridge gap
Stephen, who works as a self-employed coach, is also a performance director on the board of Table Tennis Scotland.
This month, he has also taken on a role as performance and lifestyle practitioner with sportscotland, based in the Highlands.
Stephen is sure that going into 2024, the Highland League for table tennis will provide the north with ever-improving players and teams ready to pack a punch at national level.
He added: “We have a team from Inverness who compete at national league level, and have done for the last four years, travelling to Perth to play.
“Without having the local leagues here, we’d be jumping straight in to try and compete at national league level and we’d be, as a team, a bit out of our depth.
“Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, for example, are playing local leagues weekly, so the Highland League is a really good start for us where people don’t have to travel three or four hours to access a bit of competitive play.
“We now have this league here in Inverness, which gives people a bit of incentive and helps bridge the gap when we compete in the national league.”
