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Interviews with our Para National Team Players
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We took a few minutes during the Para National Training Camp to talk to some of the Athletes. The Training was hosted from March 19th to the 24th 2016 at the Markham Pan Am Center and facilitated by Para National Team Coach John Macpherson and assisted by former Olympian Peter-Paul Pradebaan. 9 Para National Team Athletes participated.
Gabriel Seguin (15 years old)
As the youngest player in this training camp, how do you feel about the training camp?
It is great environment. Everyone is nice and I really enjoy it.
Note: Gabriel is a player from Montreal and has been play table tennis since 13 years old.
What brings you to Table Tennis?
I was playing in school at that time. I was pretty good. I thought I would have a chance. I really enjoy it since then.
How often do you train?
I practice 3 times a week and it is about 10 hours per week.
How do you balance your school and table tennis?
School should come first. I find time to study while playing table tennis. I am pretty good at balancing them.
Other thoughts?
I will keep training hard and improve as much as I can. At the moment, I will try my best to be in the National Team. Long term, I want to play in the Paralympic Games.
Asad Murtaza
How do you feel about the training camp?
I really enjoyed it. It is really great opportunity to play players from different provinces. There are lots of drills and I hope we can continue this.
So you are work at this moment, how do you balance work and Table Tennis?
I work 9 hours and if we count the travel time, that will be around 11 hours. I try my best to train 2 hours, 3 days per week. I also have family, it is hard.
Steve Dunn
Since when did you start to play Table Tennis?
I started to play in 2012 with John Macpherson whom I met at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax (2011). I was the manager for Wheelchair for Basketball NS at that time. I was in the gym. He walked to me and approached me. It really made me want to pursue table tennis. Since the first practice, I really liked it. I have played team sports a little bit over 8 years for Wheelchair Rugby. It is just another opportunity for me to try another sport and see how far I can take it. I have been pretty lucky over the years to play team sport in an international level. My career was ending at once, so why not challenge myself to try something different. It has been a big learning curve, but I made big progress so far so I should keep working hard and doing the same.
Note: Steve was a National Team player for Wheelchair Rugby before he switching to the managing / coaching side of wheelchair basketball.
What is your short term or long term goal?
Being a class 3, I think I want to be the top player in Class 3 in Canada. Also, my long term goal would be next Para Pan Am in Peru that is the goal I am working towards.
Curtis Caron (18 years old)
How do you feel to be back in the Pan Am centre again after 2015 Para Pan Am games?
It feels great to be back in Markham Pan Am centre. It brought back some good memories of playing some really high level player. It is good to be back. I am looking forward to the training this week.
What is your plan for this year?
This is my last year as a junior player. I really want to focus on improve my games and try to be competitive within and with out side of my province. I am trying to play a much as I can, whether it is practice or playing tournaments. I want to experience more high level players.
How do you feel about the training camp?
I am feeling good. I have been challenged different drills. It give me something to fight for.
You are planning to go to the 2016 Canadian Championships. What do you feel about it?
I am really exciting about the championships this year in Manitoba. It will be my first time in Manitoba.
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