Kira Scott, a TT star on the rise

Kira Scott is a precocious 11-year-old whose passion for the sport of table tennis has elevated her to national duties, added to a determined attitude, and kept her above her peers.

Scott, at the recent Prep and Primary Champs at Excelsior Auditorium, overcame her rivals to win the individual title while helping Portmore Missionary capture the Prep School girls' crown.

According to Scott, mother Sidonie Essue and coach Maxeline Knuckle, she has an innate drive to succeed in the sport, which started from an introduction by her older sister, Nevaeh Scott, who is in grade 10 at Immaculate Conception High.

"Originally, my sister was doing it, and I thought it was a cool sport, so I wanted to try it out, and I have succeeded because I love the sport," Scott said.

At the tournament, Scott used her catalogue of serves to deceive her opponents to make the rallies short. She exhibits a charming demeanour throughout play that belies her guile on the table, which further comes to the fore when rallies are long, with her full range of shots.

"I started coaching Kira at the age of about five, and I realised that she had the aptitude for table tennis. Basically, it isn't hard because of the interest that she has. It helps with building her game. She wants to learn the game, is open to doing new things and takes instructions very well," Knuckle said.

She is one of the two coaches for Scott, whose dedication has her attending sessions on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at the other tutor while being with Knuckle at Portmore Missionary on other days during the week.

Scott admits that there are times when training becomes difficult but she knows that while she is doing well there are aspects of play that she must work on to further her ambitions in the sport.

"Sometimes I find training difficult because I have to do a lot of activities, like keeping 50 balls on the table or sometimes 100, and I have to do a lot of movement like going around the table.

"I am doing well right now but I definitely see some things that can improve. For the time I have been in the sport, I have been doing well. I have been here since grade one, and I wish to continue doing it in high school," Scott said.

Currently, Scott is navigating both the difficult and fun aspects of the sport. She states that playing harder opponents and being exhausted sometimes diminishes her love for the sport, but she enjoys being "able to just go on the road and play something that I love".

Essue is committed to be her and Navaeh's dedicated driver and takes them wherever they need to be to improve their performance while assisting in the various other ways to get them to the top.

"I make sure wherever they are supposed to go to training, I take them. She is in love with table tennis, and with the passion that she has now, she will reach far," Essue said.