October 14, 2016
90 Full-Time Table Tennis Clubs in the U.S.
In my October 5 blog, I wrote how we now had 88 full-time clubs in this country, about ten times the number had just ten years ago with a corresponding increase in the number of full-time coaches (from around 10-20 to over 300). I ended the blog by writing, "Let’s get to 90 this year, and break 100 next year." Well, lo and behold, we're already at 90! I was alerted to the existence of two more full-time clubs in Florida, the Palm Beach Table Tennis Club in Boynton Beach and the PowerStroke Table Tennis Club in Saint Augustine, FL. So now that we have 90 in 25 states and DC, let's go for 100 in 30 states! (Update - alas, a club just closed in California, so as of Sunday we're back to 89. But I'm told someone is interested in re-opening the club at the same location, so it might come back. We'll see.)
I don't think there's much doubt that this has been the biggest and best thing to happen to table tennis in the U.S. this past ten years. When you look at the way these centers are spread out, I figure the U.S. should have about 500 to 1000 of them. It'll take a while, especially if it has to happen on its own without anyone recruiting and training people to develop these centers, but the numbers will inevitably grow. I believe that any city with a population over 50,000 can support a full-time center. Since the east and west coasts, and much of the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico areas (and other places) are basically one long suburban area, the potential for full-time clubs in these regions is almost unlimited.
If you want to start a full-time club, two things that might help are:
- USATT Club Developmental Handbook, by Yang Yu, 2015 (FREE!)
- Professional Table Tennis Coaches Handbook, by Larry Hodges (yeah, me!). I've offered this at cost to USATT if they ever develop a program of recruiting and training coaches and directors to set up full-time centers with professional coaches and junior programs.
Table Tennis Books
And while we're talking about books, here's my periodic note to support us poor, starving table tennis writers! Here are a few to consider:
- Table Tennis Books by Larry Hodges
- Revelations of a Table Tennis Champion, by Dan Seemiller (2016)
- 100 Days of Table Tennis, by Samson Dubina, 2015
- History of U.S. Table Tennis, Volumes 1-18, by Tim Boggan
- The Metaphysics of Ping-Pong, by Guido Mina di Sospiro (2015)
- Expert in a Year: The Ultimate Table Tennis Challenge, by Ben Larcombe and Sam Priestly, 2015
- Ping-Pong Diplomacy: The Secret History Behind the Game That Changed the World, by Nicholas Griffin, 2015
- Ping Pong for Fighters, by Tahl Leibovitz, 2014
- Get Your Game Face On Like the Pros, by Dora Kurimay, 2014
- Breaking 2000, by Alex Polyakov, 2012
- The Next Step, by Alex Polyakov, 2013
- The Table Tennis Playbook, by Ben Larcombe, 2013 (FREE ebook)
- Adventures of the Ping-Pong Diplomats, Volume 1, by Fred Danner, 2012
- Ping Pong Fever, by Steve Grant, 2012
U.S. Open Entry Form
Here it is! Hope to see some most all of you there!
USA National Teams
Here they are! They include the USA National Team Coaches, Men's and Women's National Team, Olympic Team, World Team, the ITTF USA Hopes Team, and the Junior, Cadet, and Mini-Cadet Boys' and Girls' Teams. And here's the USA Paralympic Teams.
Women's World Cup Review
Here's the ITTF video (5:11).
USATT Coaching Articles
Here they are – USATT has compiled the coaching articles they've featured on their news page onto one page.
Winning Ugly
Here's the article from Coach Jon.
Thinking Big – A Table Tennis journey
Here's the article from Pong Universe, where he talks about thinking big and how to get there.
Four Table Tennis Shots Every Player Needs to Master
Here's the article, which covers forehand and backhand drives and pushes.
Diary of a 10-Year-Old (Part II)
Here's the new blog entry by Sarah Jalli, where she talks about what she learned at the Women's World Cup. (Here is Part I.)
Ma Long Forehand Technique Analysis 2016
Here's the video (5:10).
The Diversity of Serve
Here's the video (4:29).
Belgian Legend Saive "Positive" About Chances of Challenging Weikert for ITTF Presidency
Here's the article.
TableTennisDaily Podcast #18 - Jean Michel Saive
Here's the podcast (54:08).
Deadline Approaching to Submit Nominations for Fair Play award
Here's the article and other info.
Interview with Ryu Seung-min, New Member of the IOC Athletes Commission
Here's the video interview (39:39, in Korean with English sub-titles).
USATT 2015 Financials
Here they are.
National Collegiate Table Tennis 2016 Annual Report
Here it is.
Tress Way is the Best Table Tennis Player in the Redskins Locker Room…for Now
Here's the article from the Washington Post.
Trip to Hong Kong Starts with Table Tennis Challenge
Here's the video (1:31) which features 100 students from Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, visiting Hong Kong.
Penhold Forehand - Rocket Shots
Here's the video (6:18).
How to Play T3 3-a-Side Ping Pong
Here's the video (3:37).
Ping Pong Meets 'Guitar Hero' When Table Tennis Goes High-Tech
Here's the video (1:19) as they demonstrate this game.
Lots of Around-the-Net Rolling Shots
Here's the video (4:26)!
Mozart Pong
Here's the video (1:22) as a string quartet plays music to the beat of a ball bouncing on a paddle!
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