New GB Youth Academy will give young athletes greater chance of success

September 19, 2025 | Paul Stimpson

The best young players in the country will have access to more and better practice when the GB Youth Academy, in partnership with Grantham College, launches in February.

The Academy will see around 10 players per year, aged 12-18, able to combine education with the high-class practice and support they need in their quest to win medals on the international stage and create a supply of quality players into the senior England and GB squads.

Gavin Evans, Director of Performance Development, said: “This is about taking the very best young talents in the country, bringing them into a central environment and having world-class sparring, world-class coaching and all the support services we know it takes to produce medals on the world stage.

“It’s always been the missing piece, I feel, in table tennis in Britain, having somewhere that’s a formal partnership, where we’re able to full-time accommodation, education and training.

“The GB Youth Academy is about offering that academy-style environment for players who are excelling in our pathway, from the age of 12 to 18, who are looking to increase the number of hours they spend on the table but also be able to have full-time education alongside that.

“Once it’s launched under the guidance of the head coach it will accelerate the progression on the pathway.

“Grantham College has got a history of creating really good table tennis players and we’ve got a fantastic relationship with Grantham College and David Ross Educational Trust – I’m really excited to see where this partnership goes.”

How will the GB Youth Academy work?

The Academy will launch in February 2026 and players will join by an application process, and the technical and physical standards required to be part of the Academy will be published in the next few weeks.

Players aged 12-18 can apply and there will be minimum engagement expectations to be part of the programme.

The head of the GB Youth Academy will lead the group and will deliver a training and international competition programme, with players having access to 20+ hours a week of training.

An open day for both the GB Youth Academy and the Grantham TT Academy (which will continue to run as normal) will be held at Grantham College on 29 November. More details and a registration form will be shared in due course.

Click here to read more about the performance pathway, including the Pathway Guide and Performance Standards.