Dear BTTA Junior squad players, parents, and members,
As we conclude Term 4, we wanted to provide you with a comprehensive update. Below you will find a recap of our recent progress and everything you need to know for the upcoming Term 1.
Firstly, if you haven’t read our General Community Update, please click here to read.
IN THIS UPDATE
- Term 4 – Brief Summary: From the Junior Development Officer
- Term 1 Schedule & Squad Structure
- Key Dates & Fees
- Private Coaching, Mentoring & Evaluations
- Holiday Season Training Schedule
- Upcoming Events & Tournaments
- South Side Training Centre (Underwood)
- How to Register
TERM 4 FEEDBACK: FROM THE JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Thank you to all junior players and families who joined our program in 2025. This year, we successfully remodeled our pathways to better engage and motivate our playing group, and the results have been encouraging.
We are very pleased to see a tangible increase in skill levels across our group. Our beginner squads are transitioning very nicely into competitive match play, showing great promise for the future. Additionally, our Top 12 Program delivered excellent results, with all 12 players increasing their ratings from the previous year.
While we are definitely on a good pathway, we believe strongly that we still have significant room for improvement. We are committed to introducing even more focused training plans to help every player reach their potential in the coming term.
TERM 1 SCHEDULE & SQUAD STRUCTURE
Please refer to the attached photos below for the complete Term 1 Timetable.
For the upcoming term, we have segregated our playing group into four distinct squads. This allows us to target training specifically to the player’s rating and skill level. All training sessions run for 1.5 hours.
The 4 Tiers:
- Tier 4: Spin Star Reflex Program (Rating < 500) Designed for beginners and newcomers. This tier follows our “Spin Star Reflex” curriculum, outlining a 15-step challenge that players must conquer to graduate to the next tier.
- See attached document below for the Spin Star Reflex Program details.
- New Improvement: We have adjusted the coaching ratio for our beginner program to more coaches per student. This intensive ratio is designed to turbocharge progress and help players achieve a 500+ rating faster, to transition our players to an intermediate level as quickly as possible.
- Tier 3: Intermediate Squad (Rating 500+) Focused squad training for players who have graduated from the beginner program and are building consistency.
- Tier 2: Advanced Squad (Rating 1000+) For advanced players. All athletes in this tier will have set goals and challenges mapping out their route to join our final High Performance tier.
- Tier 1: High Performance Strictly for selected players who are committed to training 5+ days per week.
⚠️ MAJOR CHANGE: WEDNESDAY JUNIOR FIXTURES: We have made one major change to the weekly schedule: Wednesday night training slots are now dedicated exclusively to Junior Fixtures, starting from 5:00 PM.
Recommendation for 500+ Rated Players: For players rated 500+ (Intermediate and above), we strongly recommend the Gold Pass. This allows for 3 sessions per week, structured as:
- 1 Session: Wednesday Night Fixtures (Match Play)
- 2 Sessions: Chosen training slots during the week
🆕 LIVE SESSION ROSTER: We have just released a live spreadsheet detailing all session times and the current roster. We will begin populating this document with player names as training schedules are confirmed. View the Live Roster Spreadsheet Here
KEY DATES & FEES
Key Dates:
- Term 1 Start Date: Monday, January 26
- Term Duration: 10 Weeks (As per public school calendar)
2025 Term 1 Packages: Please review the below flyers below for a detailed breakdown of the specific inclusions for each tier.
- Spin Star Reflex Beginner Program: $89 per week (Includes two sessions per week with a higher coach ratio and the 15-step challenge curriculum). We recommend two sessions per week, but you can also pay $49 per week for a single session.
For Intermediate and above players: - Silver Package: $59 per week
- Gold Package: $79 per week (Recommended for 500+ rated players to combine training with Wednesday Fixtures)
- Platinum Package: $95 per week
PRIVATE COACHING & MATCH MENTOR UPDATE
To ensure consistency and a unified team effort from our coaching staff, we are making some strategic changes to how Private Coaching and Match Mentor sessions operate.
New Oversight & Strategy: Moving forward, the BTTA Head Coach and Junior Development Officer will play a more active role in these arrangements. All private session schedules and training plans for junior players will now be reviewed and approved by senior management. While private sessions for junior players have at times been disconnected from our focus in groups, this change ensures that every private minute is utilised effectively and fits hand in hand with the club’s broader training curriculum.
Our Philosophy = “Purposeful Practice”: We strongly believe that private training should not just be about high volume; it should be about instruction that fuels your squad training.
- We are in favour of our students focusing on training in a group environment, while using private sessions for a personalised ‘boost’ to their development. We will be recommending that the majority of beginner & intermediate junior students are not taking more than 1 private session per week, and High Performance players receiving a case by case analysis of what will best suit their goals.
- Many students have succeeded without frequent private coaching, but we do recommend periodic dedicated sessions during the term to allow us to identify and personalise key technical areas, write a report, and set specific goals – which can be difficult to achieve in a strictly group coaching setting. The player is then encouraged to take these teachings back to their group squad to practice over the following weeks. This makes the entire training cycle more purposeful.
Match Mentoring & Hitting Partners
Popularity grows for our Match Mentoring program; it has proven to be a powerful tool for boosting performance across our playing group.
- Strategic Alignment: Our coaching team will be taking a proactive role in matchmaking, ensuring that players are paired with the right mentors to work on specific strategies.
- ⚠️ Scheduling & Table Availability: Match Mentoring sessions may strictly NOT be conducted during group coaching session times. To organise a session, you must refer to the Term 1 Timetable and book an Off-Peak Table Hire slot.
- Fees: Please find the attached list detailing available Match Mentors and Hitting Partners (includes Mentor Fee + Club Fee component).
Coaches & Fees Private sessions are a complimentary addition to a successful squad program. Click here to see details about our Private Coaches, and see the attached document listing our available Match Mentor Junior players.
🆕 NEW: Player Evaluation Sessions
We will also introduce a specialised Player Evaluation Session for Term 1 conducted personally by 2 senior coaches .
- What it covers: Strategic planning, equipment testing (rubbers/blades), and a written performance report with goals.
- Who is this for? Highly recommended for players graduating from Spin Stars or levelling up tiers (e.g., Intermediate to Advanced).
HOLIDAY SEASON TRAINING SCHEDULE
As we enter the school holiday period, we understand the vital importance of maintaining momentum. We have broken the schedule down into three distinct blocks:
BLOCK 1: CHRISTMAS PERIOD (Dec 22 – Jan 5)
综合诊疗及手术台租赁：
Monday 22nd December: 10AM – 1PM
Tuesday 23rd December: 10AM – 1PM
Wednesday 24th December: 10AM – 1PM
12月25日，星期四： 关闭
12月26日，星期五： 关闭
12月27日星期六：上午10点至下午5点（下午2点至5点为排行榜前列）
12月28日，星期日： 关闭
Monday 29th December: 10AM – 1PM
Tuesday 30th December: 10AM – 1PM
Wednesday 31st December: 10AM – 1PM
1月1日，星期四： 关闭
Friday 2nd January: 10AM – 1PM
1月3日星期六：上午10点至下午5点（下午2点至5点为顶级赛事）
1月4日，星期日： 关闭
高强度青少年教练指导——每天$50，每次3小时
适合所有水平！
10AM – 1PM on December 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 and January 2
BLOCK 2: CASUAL TRAINING WEEKS (Jan 5 – Jan 16)
- Status: Club Officially Re-opens with regular hours. No booking required—just come in!
- Week 1: January 5 – 9 Week 2: January 12 – 16
- Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Daily)
- 成本： $20 per entry (Pay at counter).
- Details: Open to all levels. Some level of instruction and structure during these sessions, but not formal coaching sessions. Players are welcome to remain in the club after the session to continue practicing and social play.
BLOCK 3: HOLIDAY TRAINING CAMP (Jan 19 – Jan 23)
- Dates: January 19 – 23
- Format: Intensive pre-term preparation- all levels.
Register Here:Click to Register for January Holiday Camp
UPCOMING EVENTS & TOURNAMENTS
Please mark these important dates in your calendar for the start of 2026.
JAN 24 (Saturday): SATURDAY NIGHT FLEXI Before the term kicks off, join us for our first Flexi event.
JAN 26 (Monday): TERM 1 BEGINS Official start of the 10-week School Term training block.
JAN 31 – FEB 1: BACK 2 SCHOOL JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS This is our kickoff tournament for the year!
- Who should play? We encourage ALL Juniors – from Beginner to Intermediate and Advanced – to join this event. It is a fantastic way to test your skills before the squad term gets into full swing.
- Register Here: Click to Register for Championships
SOUTH SIDE TRAINING CENTRE
We understand the challenges many of our families face when travelling from the South Side. Commuting numerous times per week makes it tough to commit to a full training program at the main centre.
To support our players in this region, Coach Anna and Coach Tony have scheduled specific training sessions at a facility in Underwood for Term 1. This is a privately operated ‘unofficial’ satellite campus for our club.
How to Register: To secure your spot for the South Side Training Centre sessions, please contact Gio directly for session times.
HOW TO REGISTER FOR TERM 1
Ready to secure your spot for 2026? Registration is now open.
To lock in your training schedule and goals for the new year, please follow these steps:
- Select your Package (Spin Star, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).
- Select your Session Times (based on the timetable).
- Contact Gio directly to confirm arrangements
CONTACT DETAILS:
- Email: gio@brisbanetabletennis.org.au
- Phone / Text: 0467 895 252
Once we discuss your package choice and session preferences, we will confirm your spot and lock in your training schedule for the year.
GREATER BRISBANE RANKINGS & LIVE LADDER
We encourage all families to follow the link below to view Brisbane’s Live Ladder.
Our players are rapidly climbing the ranks in their respective age groups, showcasing the hard work put in during training. As we tick over into 2026, keep a close eye on the updated rankings. We are proud to say that many BTTA players are leading the charge, not only here in Queensland but also nationally.
We look forward to seeing you all back on the courts for a massive 2026!
By Giovanni- Junior Development Officer BTTA
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