Joe Gerada has been involved in table tennis for 40 years. He loves working with anyone wanting to get better and improve their game. Joe's proven philosophy consists of hard work, discipline and playing the game for what it is. "I'll teach you to play and provide you with the chance to become a professional athlete".

Joe has worked with kids for 20+ years, having coached State, National and International level players.

Whether you’re a Little Champ, Senior Cannonball, or looking to become the next champion player, Joe is available to provide professional coaching specifically curated for each age group and skill level.

Melissa Tapper brings her knowledge of elite performance and processes as an athlete to the coaching staff at LOOPS. As Australia's first ever dual Paralympian and Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold medalists, Melissa's passion and drive is a great addition to the LOOPS training environment, aimed at giving athletes a different perspective and challenge their way of thinking.

In April 2018, Melissa won Australia’s first table tennis gold medal at the Commonwealth Games since the sport was introduced in 2002, in front of an adoring home crowd.

While it was arguably the biggest achievement in her career to date, the Victorian Native is no stranger to making break-throughs. Despite suffering from a brachial plexus injury at birth, which resulted in Erb's Palsy, Melissa picked up table tennis at the age of eight, made the state team at 12 and the national junior team two years later. At 18, she was Australia's No. 1 female junior, the Under-18 Oceania Champion and the U-21 National Champion. Melissa’s success fuelled a dream of making the Olympics.

Melissa became the first para-athlete to compete for an able-bodied Australian team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she clinched a bronze in the women's team event. Two years later, she made Australian history for being the first athlete in the sports-mad nation to qualify for both the Paralympics and Olympics.

The excitement and adrenaline of her recent win in front of a home crowd may just spur her to another Olympic-Paralympic double in Tokyo in 2020, and perhaps to win a medal.

Russ joined the LOOPS team in 2021 as a Senior Team Coach with success forming good relationships with the likes of Tapper, Pellissier, Dixon, Luu and Quah. Russ joined the team for a week long training camps in Brisbane and has signed on for 2022 and 2023 season.

Russell Lavale (born 12 July 1974) is an Australian table tennis player who has competed at three Olympic Games.

He competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the men's doubles event with Paul Langley, finishing in equal 25th position. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics he competed in the men's singles and finished in equal 49th position. At the 2004 Athens Olympics he competed in both the singles and doubles events. In the singles he again finished in equal 49th position, and in the doubles, partnered with Trevor Brown, he finished equal 25th.

He also competed at the 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games in the men's singles, doubles and mixed doubles events.

Following his 1997 National Singles Title, in 2002 Lavale won his second singles championship and his fifth doubles championship at the Oceania Table Tennis Championships.

LOOPS are proud to present is current Male National Squad Members including Nathan Pellissier a Tokyo Paralympic Silver Medalist and Australian Champion, Xavier Dixon a recent German World Tour Mixed Doubles finalists, Finn Luu form 10th World Ranked Cadet, Daniel Noura National Hopes Silver Medalist and Jayden Deng recently selected in the Table Tennis Australia Identified Hopes Squad.

LOOPS has a proud history of champions with Nathan van der Heiden a National Junior Team representative still involved in the club helping juniors progress, Ivan Sulfaro a National Junior Champion and Team Member or Wayne Gerada a National Youth Champion.

Phil brings years of experience in Business Management, Phil has overseen and built business' from the ground up including Cossack Pearls in Western Australia implementing administration, HR and Accounting Systems.

Phil is a Division 4 LOOPS Pennant player, enjoys hacking around the golf course with a 9 handicap, plays squash and now in his later years, enjoys a work/life balance helping business like LOOPS grow and spending more time with his wife who's a keen tap dancer.

Sui is the current Head Junior Coach, of German decent, Sui has been working with LOOPS for past 18 months. His Chinese approach to the game is sure to help everyone improve and enjoy the game he loves.

Sui Deng is a selected coach buy General Manager Joe Gerada and LOOPS founder Simon Gerada. Sui is an accredited coach with a Chinese style of teaching which includes discipline and hard work along with specialist techniques.

LOOPS are proud to present is current Female National Squad Members including Melissa Tapper a Tokyo Paralympic Silver Medalist, Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist and Australian Champion, Sanaya Budashadasa, Chermaine Quah, Cherry Le, Hannah Green and Olivia Green who combine as the strongest female squad in the country training four times weekly at LOOPS TTC, who combine to hold several National and Oceania Championships and are the prefect role models for females in sports and table tennis.

LOOPS would like to recognise the proud history of champions including Maddy Goodsell, Sophia Dong, Georgina Newton or Marsha Guseva who were all National Team members, multiple National Championship medalists and great ambassadors of the game. And to that end are thankful for the leadership of our champions who have paved the way for our current team to access LOOPS, its coaches and services.

LOOPS welcome TIBHAR one of the major Germany-based table tennis manufacturers to the the team. Tibhar produces a wide range of the highest quality and professional table tennis equipment, suitable for beginners all the way up to the elite levels. They also have some specialised equipment that you won't find from other brands!

LOOPS TTC are a High Performance club geared towards providing children opportunity. In 2022 LOOPS TTC were joined by TIBHAR who are committed to our next generation of Champions.

The LOOPS High Performance Team require High Performance equipment, precision matched by quality and technology is what the athletes asked for and TIBHAR was selected by the athletes and coaches of LOOPS TTC.

Simon Gerada is a former Olympian, Australian Champion and has been a professional player for more than ten years. More recently, he has been coach to many National Squad and team members including Olympians, Paralympians, Commonwealth Games and World Championship medalists.

Simon has worked as a professional in table tennis as an athlete, coach and in management, all within high performance table tennis. This experience has provided insights into athlete priorities, administrative responsibilities (including a large network from international business, table tennis specific home and abroad), sponsorship, finance management, client relationship management, marketing and promotion.

His table tennis methodology has been developed around his deep experience across Chinese table tennis training and understanding, and Eastern, Scandinavian and Central European table tennis methods. This is balanced by discovery and learning, equipped, applied and demonstrated to the Australian table tennis environment.

Simon’s respect and understanding of the importance of using sports psychology allows him to be flexible and mindful. Simon is decisive, directive and resilient when leading during complex, high pressure situations and significant moments including match play, training, team building and management. He builds and encourages a culture of ownership and accountability and is highly determined and disciplined, with a focus on execution and results. This is balanced by a collaborative, pragmatic approach to achieving short, medium and long term results.