KERANG'S gun table tennis player Nathan Van Der Heiden has just completed an intense three weeks of pre-season training in an effort to further improve his game as he strives to work his way up the junior world rankings in 2012.
His summer program requires him to complete six hours of on-table training five days a week with his Victorian team Health Wellness and Table Tennis under the supervision of head coach Joe Gerada and former Olympian and team program manager Simon Gerada. The workload expected of him is enormous, however it almost pales in comparison to the nine months of hard work he put in leading up to the Junior World Championships.
"Basically he came along at the start of 2011," said Gerada.
"He started in the first training camp back then and wanted to play well at the nationals. He took part in a program that most people wouldn't have accepted. He was pretty much unranked in national championships and went into national championships in Sydney and was pretty much unstoppable. His grades have also improved at school.”
Van Der Heiden’s coach also seemed pleased with his charge’s work ethic.
"Get up at seven am, go to school, on-table from 5.30 until 9pm. Have a shower and do that again tomorrow for nine months - which got him into the world championship team,” Gerada said.
Gerada then explained Van Der Heiden’s current program which will change again once school starts: “[a] six-hour program 2.30-8pm, five days a week. One thing we say is anybody can do anything if they put their mind to it and set out to achieve. If he continues to work hard to achieve those goals and aspirations anything's possible.”
“I think anybody that works hard can achieve anything as long as the support's there and the program's there,” said Gerada.
“I think we definitely have Olympians and national champions in the making."
Van Der Heiden is training alongside one of Australia's best juniors and fellow Victorian Dillon Cathcart, so he will know where he needs to be to succeed, and if in need of inspiration he can look no further than 21-yea-old champion Melissa Tapper.
She is the world's best Class 10 female paralympian and is also ranked as one of the top Australian able-bodied women. Despite having the nerves in her right shoulder torn at birth, which prevents the muscles of her right hand and arm from working properly, she also aims to make the 2012 London Olympics squad.
"The example here is perfect," said Gerada.
"We have lots of players who are working hard to achieve results. It's something I learnt over my journey. It requires a lot of hard work. Nothing worth achieving is easy in a sense."
Gerada also explained that a range of people have been involved in Van Der Heiden's rapid development over the past 12 including his school, Melbourne Grammar.
"They look after his physical training,” he said.
“They have a great sports science facility there. We just look after his on-table training and preparing him for matches."
Email a friend