RED DEER, Alta. — Clarenville’s 17-year-old Tyler Green will represent the province this week in table tennis at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alberta.
Green’s path to making Team NL was one of chance and tiebreakers.
Having picked up the paddle competitively for the first time out of necessity at the 2014 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games in Clarenville, the host team at the time needed to round out a team for competition. Green stuck with the sport, playing in his basement to practice. In the meantime, he also became an experienced athlete in volleyball, softball and golf.
Green also competed at the 2018 provincial winter games in Deer Lake for the Eastern team, at which time he two bronze medals — one in singles and one as a team.
After realizing he could attend three of five available qualifiers to make Team NL and go to the national winter games, Green managed to tie for the final of three spots for male athletes on the team.
In an unprecedented occurrence, Green had to have a best-of-seven playoff at Pilley’s Island against the other competitor. Narrowly edging his opponent 4-3, Green admits it was a little nerve-racking.
He pledged to train four hours of table tennis a week and four hours of physical activity as well.
Now, it’s on to Red Deer, where he will compete in both singles and doubles in the first half of the events.
Green told The Packet he is most looking forward to playing the top talent in the country and seeing a higher level of competition in the sport.
Leaving for Alberta on Thursday, Feb. 14, Green will see the best table tennis players his age the country has to offer as he looks to build on his career as a table tennis player for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Twitter: @jejparsons
