Sunday, January 6, 2013

Interview with Dexter St Louis





Dexter St Louis is easily the best player to ever come out of the English speaking Caribbean. I got the chance to speak with him via Skype from France to have a little talk about the game and some of his exploits.

Petermoo: Dexter, when did you realize you could become a good player?
Dex: At age 15 I won both National junior and senior titles, it was then I realized I could probably go a bit further than the guys who were older than me . Guys like Lionel Darcieul and Derek DaSilva. Of course it depends on how hard you are prepared to work but it is at that time I saw I had the potential to become a great player.
PM: When did you decide to go overseas to develop your game?
DSL: Right from there I knew I had to move to the next level. I got a sponsor who worked with me to get me to play a couple overseas tournaments in the USA and such. I stayed about a year and a half in the USA.
After that I got a Trinidadian company to employ me, not to work, but to allow me to focus on  my development as a player.
They decided to send me to a couple of tournaments including one in Martinique. I was able to win this tournament which had players from France and several other countries and its from there I got the opportunity to play professionally in France.
As a matter of fact, I got the offer the same night I won the tournament.
I got an oppurtunity to train in Germany for 5 weeks and then a 2 year contract in France.





PM: Who do you play for in France?
DSL: I play for a small club in a small city called Agen. I like their philosophy and their goals. A lot of clubs don't have an objective, but this club does.
PM: Tell me about your equipment. What are you using now?
DSL: Basically I use Joola equipment. My blade has always been the Yasaka Gatien (old model) since 1996 but my rubbers are Joola Energy.
PM: So Dexter, between friends, do you boost your rubbers? Do you ever feel the need to put in a little juice or speed glue on?
DSL: No, No, No, I boost my arm in the gym (Laughs). I don't ever boost .
PM: Dex, you never feel a little off and boost up no time?
DSL: I can tell you, there is a famous Chinese player, (he told me the name, but i'm not telling), I was training with 2 years ago and I saw he wasn't playing too well, so he went to go and hide and do a little boost and at the same time he was asking me and was surprised when I told him I wasn't boosting.
He didn't want me to know he was boosting either.
I see quite a few of the young players here in France boosting, but here's the thing, I do a couple of bench presses after training, that's my boost.




PM: Okay lets switch up. Dex, I remember seeing you at commonwealth games 2002 in Manchester England, sensationally defeating England's two best players and Segun Toriola, the best African player. What do you consider your best victory in the sport?
DSL: Peter, those were OK I guess, but English TT isnt really on the level of what we see in Europe. My actual best result was beating Christophe Legout 4-3. In 2005 in one of the biggest tournaments in France, he was leading me 3-1 and I came all the way back.
I won 13-11 in the last game.
That England victory was big for Trinidad but for me, not so big.
PM: And who was the best player you have ever faced.
DSL: I played Jorgen Persson.
PM: Really! How was that?
DSL: He beat me really easy. Its really a big difference at that level. For me a lot of people talk about Waldner, but Persson is something really special. Not only his power but he's a really smart, good power, clever service, everything.
PM: And what was the worse defeat of your career?
DSL: I lost to a Guyanese player, Matthew Khan in the Caribbean champs in Trinidad 6 years ago. Everything went wrong in that game. When you lose like that you think about going home and retiring.






PM: Caribbean TT is kind of weak now, what do you think is wrong with us?
DSL: Not kinda weak, Peter, weak. I think Jamaica has maybe two potential players, Trinindad two, Barbados none but I don't  think these youths have the focus we had.
PM: Name the players in Trinidad
DSL: Well I think Bob has a son who's good and there is a kid named Aaron Williams who is good. I think you have in Jamaica maybe Simon Tomlinson and the other guy, the big fellow (Kane Watson).
Peter these guys need plenty work.
I think people like you and Dibbs can still compete because TT isn't really a young mans game exclusively. Nowadays there are so many distractions, internet, blackberry etc you don't have the focus we used to have.
I would rather be old in this era than young in this era.



DSL: So Dexter, outside of table tennis, what kind of music do you like?
DSL: I listen to good Calypso, some from back in the 80's and 90's but 90% of my collection is Reggae music. I have a massive collection of Buju Banton, Sizzla Kalonji, U-Roy and Bob Marley.
PM: Other than than Trinidad, whats your Favorite  place in the world to visit?
DSL:I Love London.
PM: Well Dex, thanks for taking the time to speak with us.
DSL: Take care.







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