January 29, 2015

Short Blog Today

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a headache - a double whammy. My voice is hoarse and I think someone punched me all over my body while I was sleeping. I think I have a slight cold (yeah, lots of Kleenex), while the headache might be from late-night work and lack of sleep. I was going to write about yesterday's adventure (2.5 hours of coaching, meeting with USATT player rep Han Xiao on my Regional Associations proposal, snowball fights, and the power of chocolate brownies as incentive for juniors to work hard), but I think I'm going back to bed. But remain assured that even sleeping, I never stop thinking about USATT issues and ways to turn our sport into the greatest thing since sporks. (Someday perhaps I'll write about my ongoing contention with my students that the spork is humanity's greatest invention, better than their smart phones and even better than Tenergy, but not now.)

Peter Scudner New USATT Board Chair

USATT members should have received a press release from USATT this morning announcing Peter as the new chair. Here's the USATT press release

Entry List for 2015 Pan Am and National Team Trials

Here's the USATT News Item, which lists who has currently entered, and will be regularly updated until the deadline on Feb. 15. It also gives info on how to enter.

Serve Return Training

Here's the video (1:28) where Samson Dubina has a robot "serving" slightly long balls randomly about the table, and he topspins them all.

Ask the Coach

Episode 66 (16:16) - Waldner's Trademark Serve

  • Yesterdays  #PQOTD  - 2:01: How old were you when you started Table Tennis?
  • #PQOTD  - 3:43: Who is the most inspirational player you have seen?
  • Question 1 - 4:12: My problem is my backhand and power hits. The power hits are not going right. When I make a smaller version of it then it goes really well, but when I add more power I lose control or balance and the ball goes over the table. Aleksander
  • Question 2 - 5:39: Hi I am having an issue with my backhand these days. When i try to make a backhand topspin smash, it tends to go under the net most of the times. at the moment, I use side topspin to sort of lift the ball at the same time but it feels unstable. Denny
  • Question 3 - 9:31: Hey PingSkills! I have a trouble with tall players, the guy is like 6'5 tall and around 200 pounds of muscles and he's a very good table tennis player and he block all my best shots. Please have you some tips? Brock.
  • Question 4 - 11:23: I watched some amazing footage of Waldners career and how he developed his trademark serve along the line below his arm. It is impossible to anticipate and even less see what he is doing but isn´t there a rule you are not allowed to hide the ball? Marcus
  • Question 5 - 13:34: I am wondering what benefits I can gain from seeing a coach in person, versus doing drills I have learned with someone at or above my skill level. Would it beneficial to have a coach critique my form and help and analyze my in game strategy? Dakota

Reminder - USATT Committees

This is just a reminder that USATT committee applications are due on Monday. Here's the USATT Board Seeks Nominations for Committee Appointments news item from Jan. 15. If you have interest and expertise in any of the following, I hope you'll apply - we need people like you! (Here's my Jan. 16 blog where I give my take on each of the committees.)

Advisory Committees

  • Umpire and Referee Committee
  • Rules Committee
  • Seniors Committee
  • Tournament Committee
  • Editorial Committee
  • Clubs Committee
  • Hardbat Committee
  • Leagues Committee
  • Juniors Committee
  • Coaching Committee
  • Marketing and Fundraising Committee 

Standing Committees

  • High Performance Committee
  • Nominating and Governance Committee
  • Compensation Committee
  • Audit Committee
  • Athlete Advisory Council
  • Ethics & Grievance Committee 

Nittaku ITTF Monthly Pongcast - December 2014

Here's the video (9:56). I thought I had put this up previously, but I searched and couldn't find it.

Table Tennis England Requiring Plastic 40+ Balls

Here's the article.

Virtual Table Tennis Drops the Ball on Gross Motor Skills

Here's the article from Medical Xpress. "Children playing table tennis on a game console move their arms faster and further than those playing in real life but miss out on the development of key gross motor skills, according to a WA study."

25 Olympians Staring Longingly at Ping Pong Balls

Here's the article and pictures.

Bear Pong

Here's the cartoon.

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