the Lebrun effect won this table tennis club in the Nantes Vineyard

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In the space of one Olympiad, they became the new favorites of the French public. They are brothers Alexis and Félix Lebrun, bronze medalists in team table tennis in Paris. Their performances and their anti-star side helped to highlight their discipline (table tennis) which is more accustomed to the shadows.

Three months after the 2024 Olympic Games, the Frères Lebrun effect does not fade, from Paris to Saint-Julien-de-Concelles (near Nantes) where the SJTT benefits from the popularity of the siblings.

Significant increase in registrations

It’s good publicity for us, that’s for sure. We had already started to feel an upward trend from the months of March/April for the internships when they started to perform. But the Games exploded registrations.

From 90 licensees in September 2023, the SJTT has exceeded 130 licensees, i.e. more than 40% increase.

This sudden growth in the number of licensees, however appreciable it may be, nevertheless causes serious organizational headaches.

“We run sessions with 40 children for one educator,” continues the president of the SJTT. Today, we had difficulty evolving how long this will last. If this number of licensees stabilizes over time. This is why it is difficult for us to consider employing a second full-time educator. We will know more in June when the time for re-registrations comes. »

Objective of maintaining Prenational

This abundance of goods, however, allows the SJTT to field several teams in different categories. With seven teams from pre-national to D3, the Concellois club allows its teams to grow serenely and its players to gradually reach new levels.

As such, the correct start to the season of the pennant team with one victory for three draws in four matches is rather exciting in the perspective of maintenance, the assumed objective of the SJTT.

“Of course we would like to return to the national level that we left in 2022,” underlines Christelle Penot, whose son Yoan, was one of the leading figures you SJTT.

With the current team, a rise would not be impossible. On the other hand, staying there without a numbered player would be complicated. This is perhaps what we are missing today to lift all the teams to the top. But these players often ask to be paid and that is not in the club's mentality. The question was never raised.

The Saint-Julien club focuses on training

While waiting to perhaps find the rare pearl, the SJTT continues to focus on internal training, like Emma Vallée, a pure Concelloise and part of the pre-national hard core.

“It’s good to see young people staying at the club, it’s a sign that they feel good there,” concludes Christelle Penot. It remains to be seen how many of the new licensees will experience such longevity at the club.

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