Joan Carles Virgili: "Our reason for existing is the social aspect, and our goal is to work for our territory."

In September 2014, the Reus Tennis Taula Ganxets Club was founded with just seven federation licenses. Eleven years later, they have surpassed 190, and their first women's team, Miró Ganxets Reus, has qualified for the second round of the Champions League, the sport's top European competition. However, the Reus club is also a benchmark as a table tennis school and in the social arena.

What does it mean for the club you chair to have been among the top twelve women's table tennis teams in Europe?

— It's an honor for us. We're still a modest club, in a league where we shouldn't be, both financially and structurally. Our facilities barely meet the minimum standards for hosting the competition. But we're proud to be here. This year we're starting our twelfth season, and it's a success to play in Europe's top competition.

What has been the key to reaching the European elite in just eleven years?

— There's been a lot of enthusiasm. As a club, we've respected three pillars. The social pillar has been very evident. We have people training at the club with Parkinson's, Down syndrome, and mental illness. Of the Ganxets family, 30% are from the social sphere. Our reason for existing is the social aspect, because you give back to the region the gratitude of sponsors and all those who support us. We remain a non-profit organization whose goal is to work for our region.

It also has a competitive side.

— We're in the elite division, where we're currently on the rise with the Champions League. I think we have a good team this season and can perform well. In the second round, we'll be in a group of three teams, with the top two remaining in the quarterfinals. The last will be among the top eight teams in the second competition, the ETTU. We've never reached the ETTU quarterfinals. Whatever happens, we'll achieve our best result ever in Europe.

When will the next Champions League match be?

— November 11th. They'll be at home, and we'll host the Champions League winners or runners-up [the draw is today]. We didn't have the best team in the first round, but we'll have it now. Why can't we surprise them at home? Opponents aren't used to playing in such modest conditions, and that's a factor that can work in our favor. We'll try to make our home stadium a real eye-catcher and put pressure on them. We want to make the home advantage count. We'll also play our last game at home on January 17th, with both away games in between.

What is the club's annual budget?

— We're usually between €200,000 and €240,000. We still have to see how some of the projects we've entered into competitions turn out, and if they go our way, we'll be closer to €240,000.

The other important leg of Ganxets is the School.

— Yes. It's where we're investing the most money. We have a good school and we can invest heavily in social projects because the elite provides us with resources to sustain both. Given the fees we charge, our school is completely loss-making. We're one of the few table tennis clubs in Catalonia that pays for its facilities ourselves. We're starting the month in the red because we have to pay rent, electricity, cleaning, and the improvements we've made. The others have public facilities for which they don't pay.

Have the current facilities become too small?

— We could say we're in extra time. It's my last year of mandate. Legally, my mandate expires on June 12th, and in January or February we'll make a decision on whether to continue or not. There are big clubs that want to take us over. As a project, being individual has many risks but also many benefits, because we make the decisions ourselves. The facilities have become too small. Eleven years ago, we started in these facilities with seven people: three members, the son of one of them, and my two daughters. Last season we finished with 192 federation licenses. We hope to exceed 200 this year, and this has become too small. If I continue, my idea is to create an international school.

What would that project be like?

— I think it could be successful in the region we're in, but it requires a lot of resources to get started. We'd need facilities three times larger than what we have now. We also need a social club and a gym. Now that we've joined this club, one of the best in Europe, we're seeing even more of our lack of facilities. That's the big challenge for the next board, whether it's us or not. We must grow.

This Friday they will host an international match between Catalonia and Latvia.

— As a club, we have a close relationship with the president of the Latvian Federation, and this international competition was born following an international competition we're organizing with the Catalan Federation in Salou. In recent years, it had been held in Barcelona and Girona, and we considered whether it could be held in Tarragona, in our country. We have the limitations we have, but we'll try to put on a good show. It could be an event that gives us visibility. Playing for the Catalan national team will be a promising young player from our club, just fifteen years old, Renata Shypsha from Cambrils, who will be the future leader and image of the club. There will be five matches: two men's singles, two women's singles, and a mixed doubles, in which Renata will participate.