Jan Vlieg (born 1 February 1950) is a former Dutch table tennis player, head coach and president of the Dutch national table tennis federation (nl) (NTTB).[1]

Vlieg in 1986

His brother Anne Vlieg is also a former table tennis player and national head coach.

Biography

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Vlieg was born in Workum on 1 February 1950. In 1962 he moved to Middelstum. Vlieg started playing table tennis in 1965. Hè became Dutch National Student Champion. Vlieg became founder, chairman and coach of “Midstars”. He was the coach Midstars became national champion.[2] He was the head coach of the Dutch national selections of the Dutch national table tennis federation (NTTB) in the 1980s until September 1990.[3][4] In 1985 Vlieg selected his brother Anne Vlieg for the national selection, and not national champion Ron van Spanje [nl].[5] On his own costs he made sure that the Chinese table tennis player Li Ji Shu came to the Netherlands, to help improving the level of the Dutch players.[6] In March 1989 he became Groningen sport coach of the year.[6]

Vlieg became president of the NTTB from 1 September 1990, initially with a contract until the 1992 Summer Olympics.[7] The 1992 European Championships had never been that successful for the Netherlands with four medals including a gold one of Bettine Vriesekoop.[2] His contract was extended as he was president until 1 September 1993.[8]

Vlieg has criticized the amount of media coverage of small sports, like table tennis.[9]

Quotes of Jan Vlieg

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  • Dutch: Tafeltennissers zijn stuk voor stuk een beetje gek en de grootste idioten worden trainer (Translated: Table tennis players are one by one a little bit crazy and the biggest idiots become trainer).[10]

References

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  1. "Tafeltennis "de ziekte" van Jan Vlieg". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 6 February 1989. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "DE SPORTWERELD ROND IN EEN 11-TAL VRAGEN: JAN VLIEG". sportinstad.nl (in Dutch). 21 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. "Jan Vlieg onder hoogspanning". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 5 April 1990. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  4. "Vlieg". Het Parool (in Dutch). 21 July 1988. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  5. "Anne Vlieg terug in tafeltennisselectie". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 23 February 1976. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Jan Vlieg". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 19 December 1989. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  7. "Jan Vlieg". Het Parool (in Dutch). 1 September 1990. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  8. "Tafeltennisbond en Vlieg zitten elkaar nog steeds dwars". Trouw (in Dutch). 22 July 1993. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  9. "Jan Vlieg over 'kleine sporten'". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 29 September 1989. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  10. "Gek". Nederlands Dagblad (in Dutch). 26 April 1990. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via Delpher.