Liam Pitchford was born in Chesterfield on 12 July 1993.
When he was six years old he moved to the village of Brimington, Derbyshire where he began playing table tennis on a regular basis.
The sport started as a rainy-day fallback but he improved his skills at Netherthorpe School having also joined the Colin Deaton Table Tennis Academy.
Liam received his first England call-up at the age of just 11 and soon broke onto the England senior scene at the age of just 16 when he was called up to the World Team Championships in Moscow.
Liam won a pair of medals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi that year - one silver, one bronze - and has since gone on to enjoy a brilliant career, winning three more Commonwealth medals in 2014 and then winning gold in the men’s doubles in 2018.
He also claimed bronze at the 2016 World Championships but it’s been a far from straightforward ride for the 27-year-old, who took the bold decision to move to Germany at the age of 16 to help further his career on the table.
Having just competed his GCSEs, Liam moved to TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, Biberach, in the summer of 2011, entering a brave new world on the continent in the prestigious Bundesliga division.
In the latest of new series on TeamGB.com, Liam writes a letter to his 16-year-old self, full of life lessons and candid reflections on one of the moments that made him who he is today.
Dear Liam,
You’ve always wanted to play table tennis full-time, ever since you first picked up a paddle as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed youngster back in Brimington.
You’re making this move for a reason - the club, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, know all about your potential and view you as one of the most promising young players in Britain.
The club believe in you, want to welcome you and want to help shape you into the best player, and person, you can possibly be.
You may not realise it now, but this brave step will only be the start of an amazing journey, allowing you to play at one of Germany’s top clubs in the Bundesliga at the age of just 16.
It will be a busy schedule when you get there. Balancing matches between the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League will mean you have to make sacrifices, but it’s important to remember that you’re making those for a reason and they will only serve you well as you embark on your career.
Always be curious, inquisitive and ask for advice. You’re a very sociable person and while you may sometimes not find it easy to talk about your feelings, make sure you reach out to your coaches about how to improve.
This is your opportunity, this is your chance and the club 100 per cent believe in you. Don’t be afraid to ask your coaches for extra advice and insight, even if you do find them daunting at first.
Be confident and make sure you take every opportunity in your stride. Don’t ever question your coaches’ trust in you - they’ve put their faith in you and only want you to develop as a table tennis player.
Leaving home to move to a foreign country at 16 will be daunting. It’s important to prepare yourself for that. However, it’s impossible to predict how you’re going to feel all the time, so be ready to experience both the ups and the downs.
Your parents are so proud of you, could not be more behind you and you've always had their full support ever since you first started the sport.
Be prepared to occasionally feel down. Be prepared to sometimes miss your family and be homesick. Be prepared to battle through the bad times, because the good times are just around the corner and will 100 per cent be worth it.
This is the start of an incredible journey in the sport you love, and the sacrifices you’re making are ones you’ll look back on with fondness forever.
You’ll be experiencing a new culture, both on and off the table, and be able to get a taste of how some of the most talented players - and teams - in Europe operate. Learn from them.
Ask questions. Be brave, and do everything you can to further yourself as both a player and an individual.
Your parents have sacrificed so much for you and couldn’t be prouder of everything you’ve done. By moving to Germany and embarking on this exciting career path, you’re starting a journey that will repay their faith and give them an unforgettable experience watching you all around the world.
Take everything in your stride. Be honest and open about your feelings, as that’s the only way anything can be resolved and the best way to develop. Seize the day.
This is one of the most exciting opportunities you could wish for as an aspiring table tennis player, so embrace every challenge, and chance, that comes your way and grab it with both hands. You won’t regret it.
Liam