Summer Table Tennis coaching camp concludes

The 10-day Summer Table Tennis (TT) Coaching Camp for school students, organised by the Kohima District Table Tennis Association (KDTTA), concluded at the TT Stadium, Kohima, with encouraging participation and enthusiasm from young players.
The camp, which commenced on June 24, witnessed the registration of over 115 school children aged between 6 and 15 years. According to the organisers, the initiative was strategically scheduled during the summer break to enable school-going children from across the district to attend without academic hindrances.
Speaking to the media, KDTTA president Lhoulievi Belho stated that the camp was conceptualised in response to the noticeable decline in young TT players in recent years. He observed that the absence of such programmes over time had contributed to a gap in nurturing fresh talent. Belho added that the camp served a dual purpose—introducing newcomers to the sport and refining the skills of existing players, thereby helping to sustain momentum and interest in the discipline.
KDTTA senior official James Liezietsu described the response to this year’s camp as “overwhelming.” He admitted that the association had not anticipated such a large turnout, but expressed satisfaction at the growing interest among children in taking up table tennis. He further said that the camp had the potential to serve as a feeder system for future tournaments and competitions, while also reviving grassroots participation.
Recalling his own journey as a TT player, Liezietsu shared that he was once a participant in a similar camp, which played a crucial role in his development and eventual representation of Nagaland at various competitive levels. He hoped the current generation would also benefit in a similar manner, and said the association would continue to explore opportunities to organise such events in the future.
The camp concluded with a tournament exclusively for participants, which saw budding talents compete in three age categories—Under-11, Under-13, and Under-15. The results of the tournament are as follows:
Under-11
Champion: Niepusi
Runner-up: Keneisevor
Joint Semi-finalists: Nourhevonuo and Vimerü
Under-13
Champion: Grove Thapa
Runner-up: Samsangna
Joint Semi-finalists: Hanna Kappo and Asraful Hussain
Under-15
Champion: Bikash
Runner-up: Kitipen
Joint Semi-finalists: Zünowtsa and Thejo Puro
The KDTTA has expressed optimism about hosting more such initiatives, aimed at promoting table tennis at the grassroots level while identifying and grooming young talent for the future.