April 30, 2015

Good Tactics Lead to Confidence

Thank about the last time you played a match and got nervous. Now ask yourself this: What were your tactics in that match? If you are like the overwhelming majority of players I've worked with over the years in that situation, you probably didn't have a strong game plan - you were probably just winging it. And so, unsure of what you were doing, you were (drum roll please) . . . unsure of what you were doing. And it is that lack of surety that often leads to nervousness.

So next time you are nervous, ask yourself what your game plan is, and come up with a coherent one. Not only will this give your mind something to think about other than your upcoming doom loss, but it will give yourself the confidence that you know what you are doing. You still have to execute the shots, but it's a lot easier to be confident when you know what you are doing than when you don't. Plus, this confidence allows you to think a bit more clearly and so play even better tactics. In other words:

Good Tactics => Confidence => Good Tactics => Even More Confidence

When I talk to players after losses, often they'll blame their loss on nervousness. It's only when I question them that the truth comes out! (An expanded version of this will likely become a Tip of the Week!)

World Championships

They are from April 26 - May 3 in Suzhou, China. Here are some links. USA is now out of everything, but we did decently in Men's Doubles, where Timothy Wang and Kanak Jha made the final 32. USA isn't that strong now, but think of where we might be in 4-6 years, when our current powerhouse group of cadets are reaching their peaks!!!

Choppers Excel in Early Rounds at Worlds

Here's the new article by Matt Hetherington. (In my review of the new plastic balls on June 16, 2014, I wrote, "I'm starting to think it might help choppers, the most surprising thing I found." Some thought I was crazy!)

Don't Serve First!

Here's the mathematical probability coaching article - put your thinking caps on!

2015 ITTF Hopes Program Update

Here's the USATT article.

Hardbat and Umpires & Referees Committee Members

The members of those two committees have been approved. Here's the board vote: "MOVED that we approve the members of the Hardbat Committee and Umpires and Referees Committee (URC) as nominated by their respective chairs, with the Hardbat Committee made up of Scott Gordon (previously approved chair), Jay Turberville, Diann Darnall, Albert Papp, and Ty Hoff (as athlete rep), and the URC made up of Joseph Yick (previously approved chair), and Wendell Dillon, Saul Weinstein, and Lee Kondo." (Han Xiao, Chair of the Athletes’ Advisory Council, will nominate an Elite Athlete to serve on the Umpires and Referees Committee.) Here is the USATT Minutes & Actions Page.

Firefighter Pong

Here's the picture! The World Police and Firefighter Games are in Virginia this year, with the table tennis events held at the Smash Table Tennis Center, June 27-29.

More Mike Mezyan Pictures

NOTE - If you are unable to see these pictures, all you have to do is join the Table Tennis Group - it's easy! Here are all the past, present, and (soon) future pictures he's collected. (I pick out his best ones for here - he has more.)

Larvae Pong

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