Coach Bato's Bio
Bato been playing serious table tennis at an early age. As a student at the University of Belgrade in former Yugoslavia, he was a top table tennis player and champion. He has over 10 years of experience as a private table tennis coach and consultant. He coached at the following facilities: Blazing Paddles, in Springfield, OR, iHouse in Corvallis, OR, Boys and Girls Club in Rockford, IL and Las Vegas Table Tennis Club in Las Vegas, NV. His teaching style and training philosophy emphasizes precise stroke techniques, footwork, and strategic shot selection. He has taught over 300+ students and developed and successfully trained highly ranked players in the country. He also enhanced the skills of low rated players to achieve ratings over 2,000. His extensive knowledge about every aspect of table tennis including strategy and technique strengthened the game of all his students.
SafeSport Trained
Testimonial:
"Because, as he put it, "I like your passion for the game", Bato Kurtic asked me if I'd like a few pointers related to my table tennis game. Even though we hadn't even met before then, I said, "Sure", and I've been beyond pleased with that decision since. At the time, Bato was going through the process of becoming an official coach at the Austin Table Tennis Club, where we play and met. Once he became a bonified coach at the ATTC, I might have been the first to sign up for lessons from him because I knew what a great coach he was based on the pointers he regularly gave me. Bato customizes the strokes he teaches to the skills and natural movements of each student. For example, he has taught me 5 or 6 strokes each for my forehand and for my backhand designed to return various incoming shots. In one case, there were 2 'drive' strokes which I could use when returning with the long pips on my backhand. After I practiced both for a few months, it became obvious to Bato (and I agreed with him) that I was clearly more proficient with one of the strokes than with the other, so we dropped the weaker stroke from my repertoire, and are concentrating on the more effective stroke.
The biggest single plus for me is that Bato knows how to hit with long pips, so I'm finally learning those pips strokes after years of hoping to find someone who could teach that. I'm now pushing, chopping, driving, smashing, and flicking with the pips.
I'm still recovering strength in my playing shoulder after surgery on same. Bato has a feel for what my shoulder can tolerate that rivals the feel that my physical therapist has. I know! Right?! He keeps drills short, and has never forgotten that my shoulder needs to be treated with kid gloves. He has taught me 2 shoulder-saving strokes for my forehand with which I am replacing 2 shoulder-straining strokes: One is the 'inside out' stroke which requires use of only my forearm and wrist, thereby saving my shoulder from the strain of the conventional drive stroke. The other is a different way to hit a forehand smash which, again, saves my shoulder from the strain of the conventional stroke as well as provides more power and wicked ball movement.
Bato's knowledge of details is most impressive. I'm a senior citizen, so my incorrect muscle memory is well instilled, yet Bato patiently corrects me over and over. My favorite detail is where to make contact on the blade with the ball depending on the shot being made. It's uncanny how, when I contact the proper area of the blade, I make the shot successfully and how when I don't, I don't. I whole-heartedly endorse Bato Kurtic as a wonderful table tennis coach. He even has a likeable, humorous personality, making him the complete package."
Rusty Carter
SafeSport Trained
Testimonial:
"Because, as he put it, "I like your passion for the game", Bato Kurtic asked me if I'd like a few pointers related to my table tennis game. Even though we hadn't even met before then, I said, "Sure", and I've been beyond pleased with that decision since. At the time, Bato was going through the process of becoming an official coach at the Austin Table Tennis Club, where we play and met. Once he became a bonified coach at the ATTC, I might have been the first to sign up for lessons from him because I knew what a great coach he was based on the pointers he regularly gave me. Bato customizes the strokes he teaches to the skills and natural movements of each student. For example, he has taught me 5 or 6 strokes each for my forehand and for my backhand designed to return various incoming shots. In one case, there were 2 'drive' strokes which I could use when returning with the long pips on my backhand. After I practiced both for a few months, it became obvious to Bato (and I agreed with him) that I was clearly more proficient with one of the strokes than with the other, so we dropped the weaker stroke from my repertoire, and are concentrating on the more effective stroke.
The biggest single plus for me is that Bato knows how to hit with long pips, so I'm finally learning those pips strokes after years of hoping to find someone who could teach that. I'm now pushing, chopping, driving, smashing, and flicking with the pips.
I'm still recovering strength in my playing shoulder after surgery on same. Bato has a feel for what my shoulder can tolerate that rivals the feel that my physical therapist has. I know! Right?! He keeps drills short, and has never forgotten that my shoulder needs to be treated with kid gloves. He has taught me 2 shoulder-saving strokes for my forehand with which I am replacing 2 shoulder-straining strokes: One is the 'inside out' stroke which requires use of only my forearm and wrist, thereby saving my shoulder from the strain of the conventional drive stroke. The other is a different way to hit a forehand smash which, again, saves my shoulder from the strain of the conventional stroke as well as provides more power and wicked ball movement.
Bato's knowledge of details is most impressive. I'm a senior citizen, so my incorrect muscle memory is well instilled, yet Bato patiently corrects me over and over. My favorite detail is where to make contact on the blade with the ball depending on the shot being made. It's uncanny how, when I contact the proper area of the blade, I make the shot successfully and how when I don't, I don't. I whole-heartedly endorse Bato Kurtic as a wonderful table tennis coach. He even has a likeable, humorous personality, making him the complete package."
Rusty Carter