Table Tennis Is My Love

 Bose Odusanya is an upcoming player in table tennis. She spoke with OLUESGUN ABIDOYE on her aspiration and the problems facing young players in the country.

When did you start playing tennis?

I started playing the game in my secondary school days. I saw a girl playing it and discussed my desire to play the game with her. She later led me to her trainer and that was the beginning of my exploit in the game.

How would you describe table tennis?

It is a very interesting game. Through table tennis, you come across many people in life. It serves as a source of livelihood for many people and at the same time makes them celebrities.

What inspired you to play the game?

I have passion for the game. I love table tennis and football, but I give table tennis utmost attention. I have won medals in the game from many championships and I’m really happy to get involved in this beautiful game.

Where did you win these medals?

I won some at the Asoju-oba, Lagos Table Tennis Championship and school sports

How would you rate the game in the country?

The game is not developing as we expected. The administrators are not developing the game at all. Sometimes, they select players that do not train for tourneys.

The reason for such decision is best known to them, but it undermines the development of the game. They need to encourage local players in order to encourage upcoming ones to play the game in the country.

What do you think can be done to improve the standard of the game in Nigeria?

We need more tournaments and sponsors for players to participate in many tourneys within and outside the country. They need to encourage hard working players by selecting them for major championships based on merit and not on the people they know in the federation. There should be developmental programmes on ground for young players across the country.

Sport administrators need to run catch-them-young programmes in primary schools in order to introduce the rudiments of the game to the pupils at a tender age.

What is your aspiration in this game?

I want to become a professional player and play abroad. I wish to become a role model to young players in the future. Do you have any role model?

My coach and parents are good people to emulate. They taught me how to behave in the public. They impacted on me positively. I owe them greatly.

I also see Funke Oshinaike as my role model. She is very good and impressive while representing the country at the international and continental championships. She represented Nigeria at the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, where she won silver medals for the country.

Do you do any other thing apart from table tennis?

For now I only face my game, but still want to further my education. I participated in the recently concluded Tertiary Games in Lagos where I won a bronze medal.

How did your parent feel when you started playing the game?

They did not like it at the initial stage, but they later give me their full support.

They now have a better understanding of what it takes to be the parents of an athlete. How do you cope with guys wishing to date you?

I don’t have time for love affair now. I only focused on my game, just to achieve my dreams in the game.

Table tennis is my love for now. For a player to excel in the game, she has to be disciplined, committed and dedicated to the game without being distracted by guys.