I simply wish to assist individuals have enjoyable enjoying this nice sport, says our Coach of the Year

Winning the Coach of the Year award on the Cloudathlete Pride of Table Tennis Awards was an emotional second for Peter Thompson.

Peter, from Leeds, acquired the award on the Cloudathlete Pride of Table Tennis Awards ceremony through the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by ACN.

He and different shortlisted nominees additionally had the prospect to observe England in motion at OVO Arena Wembley – the identical venue the place Peter’s mum Kathleen Best gained silver on the 1954 World Championships.

She & Ann Haydon appeared in the one all-England last in World Championships historical past, dropping the Women’s Doubles gold medal match to twins Diane & Rosalind Rowe.

Peter has continued a household custom by turning into concerned in desk tennis and his quotation as Coach of the Year winner reads as follows:

Peter Thompson, often called “Ping Pong Pete”, has remodeled lives throughout Leeds by his PingPong4U programme, delivering teaching at Shakespeare Primary School and throughout the Harehills neighborhood, together with the CATCH Community Hub. Through the Ping! programme, he has engaged teams together with ethnic minority ladies, a males’s psychological well being group and other people with studying disabilities, utilizing desk tennis to construct confidence and connection. Nurturing gamers in a respectful inclusive setting.

Peter mentioned: “It feels improbable to be right here as a result of 72 years in the past, my mum performed right here within the Women’s Doubles all-England last, so it’s fairly an emotional day.

“I play with all types of individuals, this nice sport. I play with people who find themselves ex-prisoners, individuals with particular wants and I play with a number of younger individuals, a few of which come from Shakespeare faculty in Leeds, who simply got here fourth within the Butterfly Schools finals.

“I utterly adore it. Up till 12 years in the past I used to be a wrinkly outdated bald headteacher, and now I stand up day by day, wanting ahead to bringing plenty of enjoyable by this improbable sport, and it truly is a whole pleasure each single day, I adore it.

“I’m sure there are many better people to be Coach of the Year. However, whoever thought it should be me this year, I’m delighted. It’s great, I’m learning all the time. I just want to help people have a lot of fun if they also compete and do well, all the better.”

Peter encourages others to get into the game as nicely, trying out locations to play close to them on our Table Finder.

His recommendation is: “Enjoy it, hold match, and there’s a number of nice folks that I’m certain you’ll meet alongside the best way.

“This is the nice sport; it may possibly embrace all people. I’ve bought an ideal pal of mine who performs in a wheelchair; I’ve performed with some very younger kids, I’ve performed with individuals in care houses, individuals with Parkinson’s.

“We can have great, great fun playing this game and I strongly recommend getting involved.”