Honiara Table Tennis Association (HTTA) through the ongoing support from the Australian government under the “TEAM-UP” program is currently rolling out the “Smash Down Barriers” program in Honiara.
Smash Down Barriers is a table tennis program that aims to increase the participation and quality of life of people with disabilities in communities and schools and focuses mainly on kids, people with disabilities, women and young girls.
Program coordinator Kevin Olea told Star Sport in an interview over the weekend that, the smash down barriers program is currently rolling out in Honiara starting on July 1st and will continue for the rest of this year.
“The Smash Down Barriers program is currently rolling out in Honiara after kicking off on July 1stand will continue for the rest of this year,” Olea said.
The program started in Honiara as an association but they believe very much that after the first and the second quarter the program will reach out their sister table tennis associations around the Solomon Islands, he added.
Olea also revealed that with the smash down barriers, there is also another program known as “bounce it back” which is also rolled out alongside the smash down barriers.
“Bounce It Back is a table tennis school program that aims to increase the inclusive and participation of young students in primary schools from age six and above.
“The bounce it back program aims to increase the physical activities for people with disabilities,” added.
Soon after the first quarter of the program, they visited quite a few schools and communities including Mbua Valley community primary school, Red Cross Special development centre, St Nicholas Anglican primary, Coronation primary, Koloale primary, Green Valley community.
“These are the schools and communities that we visited so far within the first quarter of the program roll out,” Olea said.
When asked about how these two table tennis programs help improve the level of table tennis in the country, the program coordinator said, with the three since the program has rolled out, he saw young kids and people with disabilities and even the community members are very welcoming and showing their passion for the program.
“Its three weeks now since the program is first rolled out, and I see kids and people with disabilities and even the community members are very welcoming and showing their passion for the program.
“So, I believe very much that this is a perfect platform that can raise and developed young potential athletes as it was one of the main aims of this program,” Coordinator Olea added.
In regards to participation of school students and communities, Olea said, he is super excited and felt welcome whenever they went to and communities where he saw young people really participated well and happy to be part of the program.
“With those kinds of positive turns out by school students and communities I am brave enough and confident to say that this is something that will change the lifestyle of people with disabilities, women and girls in schools and communities through the bounce it back and the smash down barriers program,” Olea said.
Their long term plan, after completing Honiara will be to roll out the program to provinces including Guadalcanal, Central province, Isabel, Malaita and etc.
According to their schedule, they will visit Burns Creek school this week and later to other schools and communities in Honiara.
By FLOYD TERRY JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
