With the current surge of interest in junior table tennis in the Capital, it is not surprising that the BBC has chosen to make a short documentary on this rapidly growing phenomenon. Further evidence of the growing popularity of table tennis in London was to be found at Southall Sports Centre at the weekend when 92 youngsters, an all-London record, fought it out for a place in the London Junior TT finals to be held on the 4th February. This event was just one of many qualifying events that were taking place across the Capital.

What have been the key ingredients of this sporting success story? Certainly the brand new, first class facilities at Southall, funded by Sport England and jointly managed by Southall College, Active Ealing, Sport England and seven times British Champions, London Progress has had something to do with the surge in interest. However, good venues are important but good partnerships are critical if a venue is to achieve its potential. The manner in which the college, the local borough, and the club has come together under the guidance of Sport England is surely a model for the rest of the country.  

The second crucial ingredient in the renaissance of junior table tennis in London has been the fortuitous arrival of the schools sports charity, TTK/Greenhouse. Living up to its name, this charity, based on generous donations from the banking sector in the City of London, has indeed created a hothouse of talent and enthusiasm for table tennis in many of London's challenging schools. The key to the TTK success has been to establish 50/50 partnerships with a number of schools that were prepared to host a full time table tennis coach. The remit of these coaches was not just to enthuse their youngsters to the wonders of table tennis, but to get them into the regional and national tournament structures. Using highly experienced coaches that showed an ability to work at the grassroots level, TTK has effectively created in a relatively short time, a whole new generation of table tennis players within the capital.

Leading the way in this expanding project has been Morpeth School in East London under the brilliant management of former England star, Grant Solder, Wembley High School led by current England hero, Gareth Herbert and the fastest growing of them all, The West London Academy, under the expert direction of Irish Number One, Jason Sugrue. It was the latter school that managed a massive 40 strong contingent at the weekend's tournament.

A third and equally important component of the resurgence of Ping in the Capital has been the emergence of London Progress Table Tennis Club. Not content with winning the British League for a record seventh consecutive year, the club has embarked on a huge project to create a European style club that is open and available to every section of the community and one that establishes pathways from total novice to international competitor. The club has set about its work by establishing a series of partnerships with schools, boroughs and like minded clubs. Their most recent partnership is with Brentford Football Club which shares the same goal of creating community links in the West London area. Perhaps the most successful partnership to date has been with the London Academy in Edgware, itself a recipient of TTK funds. Over a three year period the partnership has seen dozens of youngsters from the local estates become full members and indeed leaders in Britain's foremost table tennis club.

It is this exciting grassroots programme that has attracted the attention of the BBC, and their slant on what is taking place can be seen on BBC1 this coming Monday on the magazine style programme, 'Inside Out' at 7.30pm.