OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Often times when driving home from work, or the TT club; I find myself wondering about random things. Last night on my way home from work it was, "What has Table Tennis done for me and what impact it has had on my life."

Instead of keeping this thought to my self I figured I would pose the question to you guys, and hope to share some wonderful outlooks on the sport we all know and love. I'll share my thoughts in the comment as well.

So OOAK, What has Table Tennis done for you, and what impact has it had on your life?

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"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

Ping-pong is pretty much the main source of exercise for me in an otherwise sedentary job and life.

Unlike other sports, TT has so many different styles and variations that it would be impossible to ever get bored playing

Met some great friends and some horrible characters so even socially it can be interesting

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• TSP Versal :
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  ***************************** : FH/BH-YRakza7/YRakza7

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To tell you guys what TT has done for me I'll have to give you guys a brief review of 10-12 years or so; so I'll try to keep it short and to the point (You'll soon learn I'm never short and to the point, but I try!)

My love of this game came when my father brought home our very first table. Instantly, it was a family favorite and we were constantly challenging one another to play. Roughly a year after my father had brought that ratty old table home to us, my father passed away. I remember feeling numb for the better half of a year. I didn't want to do much of anything, I didn't want to hunt or fish, I stopped playing sports as well.

After my father passed, I met four guys from Vietnam (my high school was a private school that housed foreign exchange students). These guys didn't know much English, but they played table tennis. They played table tennis like I had never seen before. So I proposed to teach them English in exchange for table tennis lessons.

I became infatuated with the game, I'd get up at 4:30 in the morning to be at the dorm (where my friends lived and where the table was) by 5, and would drill until we had home room at 8. We'd skip lunch, and study hall to play, and we'd play after school until my mother would force me to come home to do homework. We had found out that there was a TT league 1 hour drive away, and we made that drive every Tuesday to be able to get a variety of different opponents.

This schedule continued until I graduated, and went to Uni. While at Uni there was no one that played table tennis, and no table to play. I continued to go to league, but not as diligently as I once did. This all changed my sophomore year of uni, when they bought two tables for the student center. I would casually check to see if anyone was playing and if there was I'd walk up and knock on the table indicating that I had winner.. I beat everyone in the student center, it wasn't much of a competition, and soon no one really wanted to play me.. I'd entice them to play by saying I'd play with my non dominant hand, only to get scornful looks as if I was an ass.

I then met a fellah who would later be my best man at my wedding. He was a tall and lanky man, who wasn't that great at table tennis, but had the basic foot work down and understood that hitting the ball was all in the waist and not arm. Most importantly, he had the drive to get better and couldn't stand me (a shorter/fatter person than he) beating him.

We started to play on a more regular base, mostly just rallying but it slowly worked into me training him. It got to the point where this guy was getting better and when we would play, people would stop to watch us. Pretty soon there was a line to play either my friend or I of 5-10 people long. I ended up having 7 students by the end of the semester who would end up being by best mates at Uni. Today, all but two of those students are higher ranked than me, and two are state champions.

I told you all that to tell you this..

Looking back at my life, 12 years ago, if it wasn't for Table Tennis and the lovely people in this great sport, I wouldn't be on this earth today. I was a very young 17 year old, who had just lost his father, whose mother had lost the love of her life of 21 years, and I had no way of fixing that. I had never felt so hopeless, so alone.

Table tennis helped fix what was broken in my life. I may of lost my father, but I was fortunate to have a father that spent time with me and shared such an amazing sport with me.. The friends I've made through table tennis has taken me to many different states and countries to play the sport I love. My support system is 10 times as big due to the table tennis community that I'm apart of. I have my life that I have now, largely due to this sport, and I am forever grateful to the sport of Table tennis.

I appreciate your time if you made it this far.

_________________
"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

What a wonderful story, Riot.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

What TT has done for me: it saved my life, twice.
What TT has done to me: it made me an addict.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

Thank you kindly Lorre, cheers my good sir.

_________________
"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

I think we can all relate to being an TT addict!!

I'm having withdrawals as I type this; as my club just cancelled tonight's league night due to freezing rain storm..

_________________
"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

Done for me
- Given me a focus in life
- an opportunity to help others (coaching, support and YouTube channel)
- an opportunity to share a past time I love with people I love - it's brought me and my girlfriend together, and her children who also play
- an opportunity to learn and grow - EJ victim
- hopefully an opportunity to earn a living of sorts in the future
- an opportunity to try and get back to fitness in a fun way
- given me a chance to meet people, make friends and chat with people I never would have otherwise

On the down side, my blood family are not interested in table tennis. The time I spend on it can have a detrimental impact on the time I have available to spend with them. Finding a balance can be tricky.

This week it's been Monday night, support the team I used to play for in a cup semi-final. Tues night support my girl friends daughter in our Div 2 singles competition - at 10 she's reached the semi final, Wed night support a friend and old team mate in Div 1 singles night, tonight support a friend and old team mate and my girlfirend's son in our Prem league singles competition - won incidentally by my girlfriends 12 year old son (youngest ever player to do that in our league's history), Friday night help out at our leagues public social session. Typically I'm helping or supporting 3 or 4 nights a week.

I guess, right now table tennis has a huge impact on my life. Nice to have a focus.

So I'm far from as verbose as some as you wonderful gentlemen, but thought I'd share a bit of a story of what Table Tennis has done for me.

When I was a child, I had a form of Cerebral Palsy that affected my movement greatly - I was told that I would have to attend special schools, would never be a sportsman, would always struggle with physical activities etc. My mum was rather stubborn, did not believe that this was my fate - and I had intensive physio for years to get myself good enough to attend a normal school. I saw all the kids playing sport - and wanted to join in. to put it lightly, I was absolutely woeful at pretty much everything I did. Got whacked in every team sport, always picked last because I was so uncoordinated. This went on for years - but my enthusiasm for getting out there and stubbornness around "who gives a crap if i'm no good" meant that I just kept trying.

Fast forward to my teen years, and I'd picked up Tennis - Realizing individual sports means I won't let anyone else down with my general struggles. Did quite well at that, but being quite poor we couldn't afford lessons etc. When I was an older teen my Uncle introduced me to TT - a night sport, cheap to play, cheap to learn. Bloody hard though. I really liked it - liked the intricate nature of it.

However, I was absolutely woeful at it. Took me 6 months to win a match in the lowest grade. Years of being thumped at every other sport meant that I had a bit of resilience however - and stuck at it. Just played casually for the first 3-4 years, but I spent a LOT of time thinking about the game, about changes I could make, things I could do to improve - and Improve I did, to the point of getting completely hooked.

Once I was hooked, I started training a LOT, not for any reason but to just get better - to understand the game. i joined the forum, I got coaching, fixed techniques.... And somehow managed to get to the level of representing both my club and my state. This was never the original goal but became one over time, and proved to MYSELF that a disability is whatever the hell you make of it.

I'm back again after a 5yr break and this year have some big goals - See how we go! TT is a huge part of my life and grants me the competitive spirit I crave as well as a constant game of changing and learning, and keeping a few KG off as well. (TT helped me lose 14kg)

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Yasaka Sweden Extra
Yasaka Rakza PO 2.0mm
TSP Curl P-1R OX

"slappy slappy slappity slap"

Motivation for exercise and one form of competition.

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Cpen SOS Wood / 4H 729 802-40 2.0 / BH GD Talon use righthanded shakehand grip
HARDBAT / Shakehand Hock 3 ply / Friendship Dr Evil OX .. Play Right-handed

I've found in my young 30 years on this planet that having focus in life is essential, and am happy to hear that table tennis give you the ability to have that focus!

It's a shame that your blood family, isn't interested in the sport. I understand that where you spend a lot of time with Table Tennis and that may create some friction in some families. I hope that they at least support you and your passion for the sport!

Thank you for sharing your story, congratulations to your gf's children accomplishments, they sound like they have a future in the sport!!! Also seem's they are lucky to have a role model like yourself regardless if they realize it now or not . Cheers from Maine.

-Riot

_________________
"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

Beautiful story Slider, I'm quite motivated after reading this, and cannot wait for my league night tonight. Thank you so much for sharing and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Cheers,

-Riot.

_________________
"When in doubt, chop. If still in doubt, chop again" USATT 1607
I.Tibhar Stratus Power Defense; FH: Victas V > 15 Extra 2.0mm; BH: Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
II. Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 1.9mm; BH:Giant Dragon Meteorite 0.5mm
III. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood; FH: Butterfly Tenergy 05 2.1mm; BH: Victas V > 01 Stiff 2.0mm

Not too much
I went to a club in 1972 but was too shy to go in, but went and joined in 1976
I was a good social player who only did local closed comps and weekly interclub (winter only) In Summer most places closed for 4 months
got married , had kids and played part time, my daughter was selected to play Nationals U15 11 years ago , this made me think how come in never played anything like that
she retired from the sport so I started, ....
now
I'm a National Champion 3 times
ITTF level 1 Coach and now re doing it as they expire
NZ Table Tennis selector (tough job)
Currently doing Umpire and Referee course
Got in top 100 in NZ when over 55y old
Own a Table Tennis shop and work 7 days a week
I was playing the most interclub out of anyone in NZ
Coach in Schools or my shop daily

just a small part of my life now

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
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My Blog here..How table tennis objects are made
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