"Experience is the best teacher," said Benjamin Franklin, "but a fool will learn from no other." In table tennis, the name Jörgen Persson is synonymous with experience. His résumé is ridiculous: five gold medals at the World Championships including the 1991 men's singles title, World Cup champion, a nine-time gold medalist at the European Championships and a seven-time Olympian, among innumerable other accolades. Along with teammate and rival Jan-Ove Waldner, Persson was a key component of the last team to beat China at the world championships. As his days as a member of the Swedish team inevitably came to an end, Persson stuck around to help the next generation like a bodhisattva with a bullet backhand. While Persson's talent as a player is undeniable, teaching is another skill set altogether. Early returns, however, are promising. At first, it was strictly informal. Young players would ask the surprisingly approachable legend questions, and he was all to happy to help them. Over time, this avuncular role morphed into an ad hoc coaching position. While Peter Blomquist was the titular head coach, it was Persson who guided Mattias Falck to the 2019 men's singles final at the World Championships, the first for a Swede since the aforementioned Waldner in 1997. Given Persson's success as a volunteer coach, it was a no-brainer for the Swedish Table Tennis Association to put him on the payroll. His well-established position as assistant coach was made official in October 2019. While Blomquist remained head coach, Persson's purview was developing the men's team for the 2020 World Team Championships and Olympics. Of course, everything has changed now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All table tennis competition has been canceled or at least postponed. The World Team Championships, originally slated for March, have been provisionally rescheduled for September 27-October 4. The 2020 Olympics, meanwhile, will retain the title but take place the following summer. In the midst of these shake-ups, the hierarchy of the Swedish coaching staff will also undergo an extreme makeover. Beginning October 1, Persson will officially take over for Blomquist as the mead coach of the Swedish men's national team. According to Mikael Andersson of the Swedish Table Tennis Association, it is a win-win for all parties, with Blomquist easing into the supporting role which Persson previously served. "Of course we are very happy with this, a very custom made deal with Jörgen," says Andersson. "Swedish table tennis now has a strong team, with current head coach Peter Blomquist, moving on to a new, more long term role with focus on talent development. Jörgen on his hand will do his best to prepare the guys to win medals at upcoming championships." Persson's long-term goal is, of course, global domination, reminiscing of his glory days when he and Waldner regularly beat China for world titles. In the realm of slightly more attainable goals, he would settle for regaining the upper hand over his neighbors to the south. "We are always aiming for medals and if we can beat the Germans we are not far from our goal," says Coach Persson. "A more long-term goal is of course to beat China again. We have done it before and we can do it again, if we think it is possible. We have a good plan and I believe we can make history repeat itself." With the steady hand of an experienced skipper at the helm, Sweden's young stars have every chance to usher in a new era of Swedish glory. When Jörgen Persson speaks, only a fool wouldn't listen.

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