The 19th annual staging of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) Prep Schools Table Tennis League starts today.

The competition will be sponsored by the JTTA this year, after being sponsored for 16 years by Oliver's Decorating & Manufacturing Company, and the last two years by Quest Security Company.

After being staged as one-day rallies in 2011 and 2012, it will return to a league format this year with home and away play in the preliminary rounds, followed by play-offs for advancing teams in the semi-finals and final.

Eleven teams from nine schools (two schools have entered two teams each), including four newcomers, have entered the competition this year. The teams will be divided into three groups in the preliminary rounds with the top two finishers from each group advancing. Group One will consist of two-time defending champions Hillel One, Vaz and Portmore Missionary Two. Group Two is comprised of last year's losing finalists Portmore Missionary One, St Andrew, Holy Childhood and newcomers Wolmer's; and Group Three has Hillel Two, Sts Peter & Paul, and two newcomers in Emmanuel and Queen's.

Hillel One won the competition the last two years, Portmore Missionary from 2007 to 2010, Sts Peter & Paul from 2002 to 2006, and Vaz for many years in a row up to 2001.

Hillel is coached by Peter Daley, Portmore Missionary by Richard Mitchell, Vaz by Sandra Riettie, Sts Peter & Paul by Rohan Schloss, St Andrew - Godfrey Gregory, Holy Childhood - Konata Beluchi, Queen's by George Gordon, Wolmer's - Raymond Leveridge, Hydel - Junior Bryan and Emmanuel by Glen-Ross McDonald.

Last year's winners in the individual events were Pratik Harjani (Hillel) in boys' under-12, Kelice Sinclair (Portmore Missionary) in girls' under-12, Senna Summerbell (Hillel) in boys' under-10 and Emma Dibbs (Immaculate) in girls' under-10. Winners in under-12 are now in high schools while the under-10 champions will be back to win again.

In today's opening matches, Portmore Missionary One will be at home to Wolmer's and Hillel Two will entertain Queens.