From July 24–27, we hosted the National Girls Training Camp at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Nineteen girls, aged 9 to 17, came together from coast to coast to coast. Some were just beginning their journey, others already deep in competition, but all were there for something more than Table Tennis. They were there to belong, to connect, to grow.
We also welcomed five incredible mentee coaches from the Women Coach Mentorship Program, who didn’t just show up, they led. They completed their Competition Development course during the camp, taking a big step forward toward coaching at the 2027 Canada Winter Games. That’s what this whole camp was about: creating space where athletes and coaches can learn together.
We made it work, with love, hustle, and a bit of luck. We timed it right after the Canadian Championships, so many athletes could stay longer without extra flights. Richmond Sport Hosting stepped up with grants and support. Some people sponsored athlete fees, one kind soul donated the camp t-shirts, and coaches brought their old club shirts to gift the girls. The hotel surprised us by upgrading four rooms to suites, and those kitchens became hubs of sandwich making, shared meals, and quiet joy.
We reached out to local businesses, but most didn’t respond this time. And that’s okay. Because what we built wasn’t transactional, it was transformational. Thanks to all the suggestions from different networks, we were able to find more ideas, fun ways, and creative approaches to reaching out to more people. Whether it was offering “support an athlete” packages, inviting coaches to bring old shirts as gifts, or tapping into community-based food solutions, we kept experimenting, and that energy made the camp more personal, more real.
This was our third Girls National Training Camp, and with that comes experience, learning, and material we can now build on. We’ve created templates, stories, and memories we can use to approach future partners with confidence. Every camp has helped us grow, not just the participants, but the entire network around them. And with that growth, the possibilities continue to expand.
This camp was a circle of value.
Immediate value: skills built, coaches certified, athletes supported
- Personal value: confidence, laughter, friendships formed in downtime, not just drills
- Cultural value: a living, breathing extension of our Women in Table Tennis campaign, where mentorship, visibility, and community came together
- Long-term value: a seed planted, not just for medals, but for meaning
We talk a lot about value creation in sport. But this camp reminded us that the deepest value isn’t always in a financial report. It’s in the girl who left with a new best friend. It’s in the coach who stood a little taller after her first debrief. It’s in the quiet moment when someone says, “I feel like I belong here.”
So no, we didn’t land all the partnerships or sponsorships. Not yet. But we built something stronger, trust, momentum, and a path forward. Because as we say often, we’re here to create opportunities and possibilities for our youth to become the best version of themselves.
And this camp? It was one more step in that direction.