OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Wrong red head. There's a guy EY that plays at country week, I don't think he would be playing in the top division at Ballarat but he might be, hes rated similarly to Reb. I think beating someone like EY will be a momentous point in your TT career since that's about the level where you could compete regularly for div 3. There's a guy CC that's a similar level maybe a stronger player actually but his rating is very wrong. Those are the guys you want to be aiming for during pennant for your next step up.

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Donic defplay senso
Haifu whale soft (grips-euro)
Nittaku pimplemini 1.0mm

I can't find a EY or CC on the player's list. Admittedly, the fixture I'm looking through is from the season we just played and I know not every player from the club participated. Oh, hang on. There's a Chris playing WA (Wednesday A-division) with a surname starting with C. I'm not sure if I know that guy. I'll have to make some enquiries!

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Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

The TT Gods work in mysterious ways!

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

... and goddesses!

_________________

Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

Beyond My Wildest Dreams

I still have to pinch myself. I've been playing this game for three years now and I never thought I'd reach the second highest division in the Ballarat league. I've always had natural ability, a disciplined approach and fairly sturdy mental strength; but I've had very little coaching, don't have a table at home and only play once a week on average. When I joined the Ballarat club almost two years ago I started in the B-grade and work myself up from there. When I finally made it through into the A-grade I was very satisfied. My approach has always been to remain in a grade until I won the singles aggregate for a particular season. I figured it was a way I could be sure that the next level would be suitable and competitive.

So, yes, I still have to pinch myself, because last Monday saw me 'cross the river' over to the A2 division. Even though I had just won the singles aggregate for the A3 division a couple of weeks prior, I carried a bundle of nerves going over to the 'serious' side. The way the Ballarat clubhouse is set up, there is a distinct physical separation between the A1 and A2 divisions from the rest of the divisions. So, it's very much a case of 'crossing the river'. What you also find is that those higher grades are populated by players who have been there for a long time, and I was the 'new kid on the block'.

I didn't know how I'd go. There was a big part of me thinking that I wasn't worthy to be playing on that other side of the club. I had always looked over there and felt quite intimidated. I think I've even stated on this forum before that I had no view of ever really playing in a higher division than A3. In fact, I've always been happy in that grade, because the competition is pretty sound and sometimes quite fierce.

I'm happy to report that all my fears and doubts were unfounded, at least on the first night of my A2 initiation. My first opponent was an elderly woman who has been playing for most of her life, MF. To ease my apprehension, I won the first set 11-7. She won the next 13-11, but I kept focused and sharp winning the next two sets 11-9/11-9. What a relief! It was important for me to win that first match to feel I was capable of this new division.

The next match was against SS and, boy!, does she like to push all night. She quickly mopped me up in the first set 11-4, but I managed to collect myself and win the second 11-4. The third set went to deuce, but it slipped from my grasp 12-10 and I completely lost the plot in the fourth 11-3. In retrospect, I know what I could have done better, but I had to lick my wounds and congratulate her on being able to make me play her game instead of the other way round. As you can imagine, I was going into the final match with reduced confidence, especially because I was facing their number one player, MF (yes, the same initials as their other player).

This guy was sharp and experienced and he took me down in the first set 11-6. I took the next set 11-8 and that, no doubt, propelled me back into confidence and I managed to repeat it by winning the third set 11-8, too. I was pumped now and in typical fashion started vocalising positive phrases like, 'You can do it!' and 'Yes, yes, yes!' The fourth set was me playing the best table tennis I know how to play. I knew I was in the zone when I realised the score was 10-4 in my favour. At that stage I felt like I was tripping like a hippy on magic mushrooms. My opponent edged a quick recovery to 10-5, but I wasn't taking any of that and closed the book on the match 11-5. VICTORY! You can't imagine how good that made me feel. On top of that I was the most successful player on our team.

Being in the A2 division is starting to feel like home, even though I'm still pinching myself.

_________________

Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

No WONDER you killed me

Our club doesnt have divisions, but A2 sounds like someone who would destroy me.

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Happy Holidays 'round the world!

Hahaha, GAMEr. I'm sure we'll have a rematch and you'll find my measure!

_________________

Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

Well done on the jump into A2 Oskar. I've jumped into A3 on Mondays and A2 on Thursdays. Might be a slight gap between city and country grades though

_________________
I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

A2 in Ballarat is ~900 point level I figure, so that's where Oskar should rightfully be, dunno why you worry about playing there Oskar, you deserve to be in A2 for sure. Arlene used to play as one of the top players in A2 at Ballarat? and she's mostly on around 950-1000 points. Oskar is A2 where you first get into the (not out the back) section of the Ballarat stadium? if so that's cool to finally be in there with the big boys.

_________________
Donic defplay senso
Haifu whale soft (grips-euro)
Nittaku pimplemini 1.0mm

Congrats Oskar, that's great and well deserved! Don't ever set limits on yourself!!

@ Foam - the Ballarat club is divided evenly in two. The eastern half is populated by older tables and players in the lower grades (A3, A4, B and C). The western half has better tables and, because of the larger number of players, is mainly used by A1 and A2 players. Between these two continents we have a stadium table, which is basically an ex-Commonwealth Games table set lower than the normal floor level. Stadium-style seating is provided along the north side of this area.

@ Blue_smartie - I agree, no limits. I suppose I just don't think it too wise to look too far ahead of myself. I've always been kind of hard on myself in that I feel I have to really earn a place at the next higher level. That's why I'll stick with a grade until I'm the best player.

@ Reborn - no doubt there is a difference in the grading equivalents between city and country. Playing Vets has revealed that to me!

_________________

Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

Oskar if you practice a lot and keep practising there's no reason you can't reach 1300-1500 points in the future. I know that's a hard goal to set and accept but it is possible. You're already close enough to 1000 that a few variations on a hard to pick serve could shoot you straight to 1100 as it is. I'm fully aware that I could gain another couple hundred points on serve myself!, I did last time I improved it a little just haven't got around to it .

_________________
Donic defplay senso
Haifu whale soft (grips-euro)
Nittaku pimplemini 1.0mm

Good point foam... I find it interesting that many work hard at improving a 'flick'.. or a b/h punch.. or something similar which may only be used once or twice in an average game. And yet, every single game we play... sees at the very least, 6 concrete opportunities to use a serve. Most games, of course.. see many more!! I'm trying to spend more and more time working on serve variations and improvements

I think this is a fantastic point. If I look at my own progress, it has involved developing strong strokes like my backhand. What I find most frustrating about my game is losing easy points to opponents with a serve I'm not used to. I generally work it out, but by that time in a match I'm having to work all that much harder to try and win (gain ground). I have been doing some work on developing a solid short serve and I think this will help me progress to the next level of my game.

Maybe you can assist me. You see, I've got a decent fast, long serve which I usually place to my opponent's backhand. This serve usually contains plenty of backspin and sidespin, but lately I'm finding it less and less effective against better players. When I watch better players their standard serve is usually quite short. So, it seems reasonable to me that a short serve is better than a long one. I can accept this, no problems. The problem I do seem to have is trying to put too much into my short serves and, at this early stage, I feel I don't have the same control as with my long ones.

Is it necessary to make a short serve really back and side spin heavy?

_________________

Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

Oskar it's not really about where you put the ball or what type of spin is on it. It's about where the other guy thinks it's going and what spin he thinks is on it. I'm not expert in this like a top player is but I can tell you what I know at Geelong for sure.

_________________
Donic defplay senso
Haifu whale soft (grips-euro)
Nittaku pimplemini 1.0mm