By Daniel Noble
COMBER’S Ben Watson has been named young coach of the year at the annual Table Tennis Ireland Awards in Dublin.
The 20-year-old was recognised for his outstanding contribution to table tennis coaching when he was awarded the prestigious accolade at the National Sports Arena on Saturday.
The event, attended by nominees and guests from across Ireland, celebrated excellence within the sport, with Watson emerging as the winner following a year of significant achievements in both coaching and competition.
The award reflects his dedication to developing the next generation of players through his work with the Ulster Junior Development Squad.
Over the past year, Watson has played a key role in coaching and supporting Ulster’s young athletes, including travelling with the squad to the West of Scotland Open, and he is pleased his work is now being rewarded.
“It feels good knowing that the work I’ve put in is paying off, especially having the knowledge you’ve passed on and the work you’ve done to help others recognised,” he said.
In addition to his regional coaching commitments, he has been actively involved in delivering coaching programmes within local schools, including Grosvenor Grammar School in Belfast, helping introduce and develop table tennis among young people throughout the community.
In fact, he believes it was his dedication to coaching across an array of different age groups and levels that gave him the edge over the other award nominees.
“I think the variety of what I’m coaching is what set me apart from the other young coaches,” Watson stated.
“I’m coaching Ulster squads, local clubs and table tennis camps, from junior to masters competitors and those on the Irish circuit, all while doing my level two coaching qualification.”
His growing reputation within the sport has also led to his selection, as a coach, for the upcoming Irish Hopes Training Camp, which takes place in Dublin this weekend.
Despite his increasing coaching responsibilities, Watson remains an active international player – a valuable attribute that enables him to pass on current technical and tactical knowledge to the athletes he mentors.
Preparations are now underway for a busy summer of competition. In July, he will represent Queen’s University Belfast and Ireland at the European Universities Games in Salerno, Italy.
As part of a four-man Irish team, he will compete against some of the best university players in Europe.
Having previously competed at the European Youth Championships over the previous two seasons, Watson is no stranger to high-level international competition and will be looking to build on that experience when he takes to the table in Salerno.
However, despite already achieving so much within table tennis, he still holds an ambition as both a player and a coach.
“I will be coaching the Irish U-13s this weekend, but my goal as a coach is to get more involved with the national teams, travelling with them and helping at international tournaments,” he added.
“As for ambitions as a player, I’m aiming to achieve some success at the European Championships next month and hope to win more national titles. I’m always aiming to progress as a player and improve my own game.”
