Bumping up this thread.
Recently someone (a new user profile) pm me asking about training in Taiwan.
I did my normal thing of asking for video and getting to know the player more.
The person wished to remain anonymous, and I guess with that secrecy, it will be difficult to communicate with any centers in the world, as eventually one would need to give up your name and video to them.
I thought of just mentioning on what I do, and the reason why I need name and video. So who ever else is interested, already have some idea on the steps to follow.
- Taiwan does not have public training centers. You do have public centers that are for amateurs, maybe lead by a former semi-pro player, but the center is for kids, or adults that do not wish to follow the semi-pro to pro route.
The hours are quite little, and obviously it isn't a pro center.
It could be ideal for amateurs or beginners or people wish to have some holiday in Taiwan and to have some training on the side. I have access to few of the main amateur centers in Taipei and have recommended quite a few people in the past 10 years.
- I am pretty much involved with 95% of the semi-pro to pro training centers in Taiwan. In other words, the "home center" of 99% of the national player, of all age group from Taiwan in the past 10 or 20 years.... I have connections.
- and some of you may now, I am also an agent for over a dozen Taiwanese national players, and have all the national coaches contact number etc. I am not lying when I say I am very close to most of Asian TT circles (including that of Korean, Japanese and even CNT). Other than being an agent for Taiwanese players, I also have other countries like Japan, Korea, Malaysia, NZ currently).
so over the past 2 to 3 years, I have been hosting foreigners who wish to train full time for duration of few weeks to few months in Taiwan. Predominately, these are mostly youngsters and are mostly national level players (in they own country). These includes players from South Africa, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, HK, India. Right now a Malaysian U15 is here and doing crazy things like playing TT on his off day too (nice to be young). July will see a French cadet girl. Other than hosting, I have also coached some of these players too. There are times where the players train with other players, or have 1 on 1 coaching.
I need to analysis the players age, and level and to see where to place each player, so they could benefit from the visit. Each center is different and putting a say USATT 2000 player with 2600+ players is not going to work. the 2000 player will suffer and loose confident, and 2600+ players will be bored and feel they are being punished by training with weaker players. Also, 2000 in one part of USA, could be only 1800 or could be 2100. So a lot of effort is required from my side to ensure quality is worth the money spent. It isn't simply just an order taking business like in most centers (they only do things once you land).
Also, Taiwanese centers isn't like European centers, in Taiwan, a foreigner player trains with full time Taiwanese players who are either semi pro or pro. In many centers across the world - and including some in China, you as a foreigner ends up playing with another foreigner. I personally don't like that, as the whole point of training in Taiwan is training with Taiwanese and not players from your surroundings.
So in a one liner, I plan a complete, customized package for each player that wishes to train in Taiwan. No matter if semi-pro or amateur.
oh, so far Taiwanese training packages are about 30% cheaper than that of Chinese centers. Other than quality, it is also a cost advantage and living in a metropolitian than oppose to rural is very welcomed. I was told to start a website to promote this more. I guess that will be part of the 2025 checklist, a website to bridge foreigners training in Taiwan, and Asian players playing pro leagues around the world.
