I remember playing doubles for the first time in 1986 at a tournament in Dalkey in 1986. It was the Silvermints Competition with big shiny gold medals for the winners. I got partnered off with some guy I never met before. We shook hands and I told him I wanted to win one of the medals. He also agreed and we decided to talk about a plan to win. Bearing in mind we were both 13 and not very experienced we set out to play the first match against two other kids from another school.
It was around 9am when we started and at 3pm we had played 6 rounds of matches and then found ourselves in the Final. Needless to say we were feeling a little nervous but I told my partner that if we continue to play with the passion and tactical awareness the medals are ours. We won out 21-10 19-21 22-20. I could have ran home with the excitement and to this day I don't remember who I actually played the final with because he gave up soon after and I never saw him again:( I wonder does he still have his medal?

In the last decade the ITTF have unfortunately started to reduce the amount of doubles competitions in International events. This then has an impact at a local and National level because Associations start to wonder is their much point placing emphasis on events that are not taken to seriously. I always entered Doubles on my entry forms for senior and junior events when I was a player. I would usually call some player at my level and ask them to enter my name on their entry form and visa versa. That means I would take control over my own entry and not have my coach or trainer doing it for me which defeats independence and stops a player from taking responsibility.

Doubles is FUN, TACTICAL, STRATEGICAL and gets you and your partner thinking more about how to win and overcome your opponents. I have recently asked the Manager of Dundrum Club to implement a new Doubles Event called FRIDAY NIGHT DOUBLES to see if we can get some good doubles partners to start enjoying the game and to progress. Get out there and start playing doubles and most of all GOOD LUCK!!!

JB

For many athletes nowadays, the attraction that ''I have to be on Facebook or Twitter'' ideology is becoming rather damaging to players in all sports. It is important to point out straight away that you don't have to be on anything like that to be successful. Certainly for top athletes having a website presence or Facebook page is more for commercial reasons and maybe for updating fans on where your next event is etc. The new manager of Manchester Utd Louis Van Gaal has banned mobile phones and the use of social media on the night before a match. He obviously saw that the phones were distracting players from the focus of the match.

Most top athletes have management who update their various social media accounts but some want control themselves on what they post. QPR footballer Joey Barton is obsessed with Twitter and to be honest if I was his coach we would have already had the chat about this situation. I walked into a sports centre recently in Dublin and 6 out of the 8 athletes that were there were all on their phones. They were on a break but seriously it looked sad! 

Remember if you want to reach the top in any job or occupation you must focus on what your good at and don't let others or social media distract you from your goals. We are human beings, not robots. Get back to talking face to face and calling someone. Its great for your communication skills and that person might just appreciate it.

JB