Table Tennis - Jack's the lad for coping with trials
Sep 24 2008 by Ken Montgomery, Birmingham Mail
NOBODY can question Jack Styring’s commitment when it comes to table tennis.
The 12-year-old amazed everyone by turning up for the Warwickshire Trials – having returned from holiday in Bulgaria just an hour earlier.
Jack left his hotel on the Friday evening and got back to his Kingshurst home at 7am the following day.
And at 8am he was outside his Smiths Wood Bribar club ready to go to the trials in Leamington Spa.
His coach Simon Upson said: “His dad told me he’d been pestering him to go because he was determined take part.
“Jack finished third and was very unlucky. He lost 11-9 and 12-10 in the fifth to both finalists.
“I feel certain that had he got a bit more sleep, he would have won.
“You could see it in his eyes at the finish, they were all red and bleary.
“He was mentally exhausted.’’
Jack only took up the sport in February but already it seems he is destined for big things.
Ever since he walked through the door at Smiths Wood, he has shown remarkable commitment and ability.
Upson added: “I’ve been involved with coaching for 20 years and you can just tell when someone’s got talent.
“Jack’s got all the tools to go right
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to the top. It won’t be easy because there are so many good players around.
“But if it was based on commitment and enthusiasm, then Jack’s already half-way there.
“Table tennis is one of the most difficult games to play. You have to cope with a ball coming at you with both speed and spin. Jack took to it straight away.’’
Jack took up table tennis purely by chance. He turned up at the Smiths Wood club one night with a friend and it just developed from there.
But Upson admitted, it could have been completely different.
He explained: “I run a coaching group at Smiths Wood. When Jack joined, I’d already got too many in the group so there was no room for him.
“Luckily, someone dropped out at the last minute and Jack hasn’t looked back since.’’
Jack, who attends Smiths Wood Sports College, said: “I would play every day if I could, I just love it.
“Simon is taking us to Liverpool in two weeks. It’s my first big tournament and I am really looking forward to it.’’
Don’t believe table tennis is confined to youngsters. It’s one sport that equally encompasses all generations.
Jack will be playing in Division Five of the Birmingham League this season for Smiths Wod Bribar along with 13-year-old Ashley ‘Bash’ Robinson and 76-year-young Arthur Sutton.
Upson added: “We’ve got three 76-year-old players at the club. We could put out a side with a combined age of 228 years if we wanted.’’
