Steve Dainton Inducted into the TTA Hall of Fame

TTA is pleased to announce that Steve Dainton has been inducted into the TTA Hall of Fame (Administrator). Steve’s administrative career over the past 21 years has taken him to the highest echelon of international table tennis, summarised as:

INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION:
ITTF Chief Executive Officer, 2017-present:
•    Led the creation and preparation of the first ever ITTF Strategic Plan “Table Tennis For All For Life 2018-2024”.
•    Significant increase (more than 100%) in ITTF commercial revenue in less than three years, compared to previous commercial rights cycle.
•    Created a professional staff structure to ensure further growth – increasing staff from 30 to 80 persons.
•    Developed and established a professional commercial vehicle, World Table Tennis, to manage and further enhance the business and commercial prospects for the sport in the future.
•    Conceptualised the ITTF Foundation to drive forward the Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
•    Launched an ITTF Governance and Management review to meet better modern standards and good practices.
•    Imagined and crystallised the Unified Korea Women's team during the 2018 World Team Championships in Halmstad, Sweden, where South Korea and North Korea combined to compete as a unified team against Japan in the semi-final.
•    Developed the idea of the future Global Home of Table Tennis, becoming not just the ITTF Headquarters, but a worldwide hub for the sport, including Research and Development facilities, a training centre, a laboratory for testing of materials and a centre of excellence for sport development.
•    Overseeing the management of the ITTF during the COVID-19 crisis.

ITTF Marketing Director, 2010-2017: 
•    Created new marketing agreements with the all ITTF Continents to further develop Continental events.
•    Improved continental events led to TV deals being done in all Continents and our sport being broadcasted for the first time in decades in many countries:
i)    Fox Sports Australia
ii)    Fiji TV
iii)    Supersports – Africa pan regional channel
iv)    Eurosport – European Pan regional
v)    Various Channels in the Americas
•    Secured several large sponsors for the ITTF – including communication companies and automobile companies.
•    Assisted in generating new revenues for the ITTF worth in excess of US$10 million.
•    Grew the ITTF media team which led to the development of the current ITTF social media platforms.
•    Led the Future Events Working Group to analyse ITTF products with major focus on ensuring the long-term health of the World Table Tennis Championships, which was struggling to find new hosts outside major table tennis markets.
•    Creation of a World Championship qualification system and platform which also increases content for the Continental and regions within.

ITTF Asia Pacific Office Director, 2005-2010:
•    Set up the first ITTF Office in the Asia Pacific region in Shanghai, China.
•    Assisted in the delivery of the 2005 World Championships in Shanghai.
•    Assisted in the delivery of the table tennis event of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
•    Improved the relations between the ITTF and China Table Tennis Association.
•    Serviced, managed and sourced multiple ITTF commercial partners.

INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION – OCEANIA:
Oceania Development Officer, 2002-2005:
•    Increasing the number of active National Associations.
•    Establishing new National Associations.
•    Implementing the Oceania Development Program which focused on coach education, increasing training and competition opportunities, provision of equipment, administrative education, and officiating education.
•    Raising participation levels at continental events, including a then record 12 countries participating at the Oceania Championships.
•    Assisted talented pacific players to secure opportunities to train and compete in overseas developed table tennis environments. Multiple players have gone on to participate at the Olympic Games/Commonwealth Games and/or become Pacific Games champions, including Yoshua Shing (Vanuatu), Priscilla Tommy (Vanuatu), Alize Belrose (Tahiti), Choy Freddy (Kiribati), Atea Tetabo (Kiribati), and Louisa Manico (Cook Islands).

TABLE TENNIS AUSTRALIA: 
TTA Scholarship Coach, 1999-2000:
•    In 1999 working with National Coach Jerzy Grycan to help prepare the team for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
•    In 2000 working with John Matovinovic and Li Wang Li in Adelaide with the South Australian Team.
•    In 2000, led a tour of Beijing with South Australian junior players.

OTHER INFORMATION:
Although not forming part of this induction into the TTA Hall of Fame as an Administrator, it is noted that Steve enjoyed a successful career as an athlete and coach, with key achievements including:
•    1992-2001: Junior State Team Coach for NSW, Victoria and South Australia, including multiple players/teams winning national and state junior titles.
•    1992-1997: Club Coach for Albury Wodonga Table Tennis Association, including multiple players being selected to represent NSW and Victoria and multiple players winning national and state junior titles.
•    1984-1997: Player for Albury Wodonga Table Tennis Associations, including 4 x Club Champion (1994-1997), 2 x Victorian Country Championships Men’s Singles runner up, and NSW and Victorian representative at junior and youth level on multiple occasions.

The TTA Hall of Fame recognises outstanding contributions made to table tennis in the fields of playing, coaching, officiating and/or administering the sport. A person may only be inducted into the TTA Hall of Fame by meeting the criteria listed in the TTA Hall of Fame Regulations. Steve’s nomination was unanimously endorsed by the TTA Hall of Fame Selection Panel and the TTA Board.

Congratulations Steve on being one of the inaugural administrators inducted into the TTA Hall of Fame, you’re a most worthy inductee.