March 4, 2016

Regional Team Leagues and State Championships
Want to play in a Regional Team League? Or a State Championship? If there already are ones in your state, then you're all set! But if not, we need your help, either in organizing them, or talking to club leaders about doing so. (Sometime next week I'm sending an email to all USATT clubs on this, somewhat similar to the below, as the USATT League Committee Chair and a member of the Board of Directors. USATT CEO Gordon Kaye has been a great help in all of this, and instigated the State Championships initiative.)

Here is a listing of Regional Team Leagues currently in operation – email me if I'm missing any.

Here's a listing of State Championships held in 2015 (with the assumption that most will have similar championships in 2016). So far 2016 State Championships (or State Games) have been sanctioned in AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, IN, MN, MO, NY, OK, PA, VA, and WI. (I plan to run ones in Maryland, tentatively June 25-26.)

Now let's assume you are one of those poor souls without a Regional Team League or a State Championship, but like all those who want to Make USATT Great Again (as some say we were during the hardbat era long ago), or just want to play in them, what do you do?

You have two options: Talk to your local club leaders about organizing them - or organize them yourself! And here's how, for club leaders or you.

Here is the USATT League Page, which includes a link to this League News Item (which explains the importance and benefits of leagues), and to the USATT League Prototype, which you can use as a starting model. (You don't have to be a member of USATT to play in such a league.)

Here is the USATT State Championships Page, which gives info on setting up a State Championship, with the goal of holding them in all 50 states this year. (Unlikely, but if we strive for it, we'll get more than if we don't.)

Why are leagues so important? It creates a different atmosphere than the "winner stay on" mentality so common in the U.S., fostering instead a "team" atmosphere, where you cheer for your team, and your team cheers for you. It's why European countries have table tennis memberships that dwarf USATT's, and why league-based sports have such large memberships.

To quote from the League page:

Those who study sports association memberships can help but notice a pattern: those with huge membership do so through team leagues. That's the reason why the German Table Tennis Association has 600,000 members, why the U.S. Tennis Association has 700,000 members, and why the U.S. Bowling Congress has over two million members. And the lack of such a league structure is the primary reason USA Table Tennis has only 9000 members."

But you don't play in a team league just so you can boost your association's membership; you do so because it's fun! You're pumped up because your teammates are cheering for you, you win and lose as a team, and when it's all done, you and your opponents go out for pizza.

Why are State Championships so important? Because they foster local news media, leading to publicity and growth in the sport. To quote from the USATT State Championships Page:

For most players, the State Championships should be one of the most important events of the year. Many can compete to become a State Champion, whether it be in men's or women's singles, a senior event, a junior event, hardbat or sandpaper, a rating event, or doubles. It gives them something to train and look forward to. It's also the time when players from all over the state get together for table tennis and fun, usually ending with everyone going out for dinner together.

We'd like to celebrate these champions by commemorating them on a USATT State Champions Page as well as on the USATT News page. We'd also like to have an annual Parade of Champions at the U.S. Nationals, where, between matches during the showcase events, we invite all the attending state champions to take a march around the playing arena as the crowd cheers.

We'd like to turn these State Championships into major events in the local media. To do this, the tournament director or publicity director would simply Google the local TV, radio, and newspaper listings to get contact emails. Then, the week before the tournament, send them press releases inviting them to cover the tournament. Afterwards send them a follow-up press release that they can use.

To set up a nationwide system of regional leagues and state championships we need your help, either in organizing them, or in talking to club leaders to do so. Now's the time to get busy!

World Team Championships
The finish this Sunday. Here's the ITTF home page for the ongoing event, Feb. 28 – March 6, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where you can see results, articles, press releases, pictures, video, and quotes. Here is the USATT home page for the Worlds, where you can find USA results. USATT has also posted several videos and articles of USA players on their News Page.

Timo Boll Effortless Forehand Rip
Here's the video (21 sec, but link takes you 14 sec in) – someone should create a repeating gif of this shot. It's a nice one to study, illustrating the "easy power" of a shot done with proper timing and technique.

Ask the Coach Show
Episode #234 (24:59) - Snapchat Questions (and other segments).

China Junior Table Tennis Practice
Here's the video (5:29).

The Relative Age Effect in the Chinese National Table Tennis Team
Here's the new article from Expert Table Tennis.

An Odd Pairing on the Road to Rio
Here's the article and video (2:57) featuring Timothy Wang (3x U.S. Men's Singles Champion) and former professional football player Corey Bridges.

International Table Tennis
Here's my periodic note (usually every Friday) that you can great international coverage at TableTennista (which especially covers the elite players well) and at the ITTF home page (which does great regional coverage). Butterfly also has a great news page.

Ask a Pro Anything: Feng Tianwei
Here's the video (4:04) featuring the world #8 (formerly #2 for eight months) from Singapore, by Adam Bobrow.

Great Rally at Worlds
Here's the video (36 sec) of the point between Austria's Stefan Fegerl (world #23) and China's Zhang Jike (world #4, but former world #1 and men's singles champion at Worlds and Olympics).

Doubles Service Toss and Switch
Here's the video (13 sec)!

Dodgers Ping-Pong Doubles Tournament
Here's the article, Dodgers spring notes: Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax, ping pong, which includes a picture of a fancy, home-made draw sheet and the rules – which include best of three to 21 and 7-0 and 11-1 "skunks."! The table tennis excerpt:

Saturday also marked the drawing of names for the Dodgers annual ping pong tournament. Teammate pairings were reportedly drawn out of a hat, and among the notable pairings are Yasiel Puig and Kenta Maeda, and Joc Pederson and Dave Roberts.

 Kershaw was paired with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

"Gonzo's not very good," Kershaw joked. "We're going to work on his competitiveness and the games. Hopefully we can at least make it a couple rounds."

Eye-Patched, Gloved Werner Schlager Wins Around-the-Table
Here's the video (2:13) where the 2003 World Men's Singles Champion is handicapped in this weird competition in Austria!

World Ping-Pong Federation
With the growth of Leagues, soon table tennis will take off and we'll follow in the footsteps of All-star Wrestling with the World Ping-Pong Federation. (I ran this cartoon once before, but it sort of fits the theme of today's blog!)

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