OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Some clubs seem to have 1 or 2 members that are particularly good at making new members feel welcome. I think these people are not only vitally important to the success of a club, but also to promote our sport.

Unfortunately these people are often taken for granted, and most other members don't realise or show appreciateion for how much these people contribute.

Although I try to make new people feel welcome myself, I don't have that natural talent to connect and make them feel welcome.... but I'm certainly happy that our club has a few people like this.

What's it like at your club. Do you have people like this (or are you one of them?)? Do you think they contribute a lot to the success of the club, or to TT in general?

I don't think my figure of body armor, M-4 carbine, and hand grenades contributes much to increased membership. Fortunately, at most Korean clubs that have 4-8 tables, there is a club owner (usually a 40-60 yr old Husband/Wife) present at all times with decades of experience in greeting.

Korean culture heavily emphisizes greeting. You go to the cheapest department stores and they hire someone to bow to you as you drive into the underground parking lot, they hire someone to bow to you as they direct you to an available parking spot underground, and a whole host thorughout the store who greet you and bow as you browse through the store. Children are browbeat into respectfully and cheerfully greeting elders at every opportunity. You get the evil eye if you fail in any of your social responsibilty in this regard.

Making the other person feel extremely welcome and feel good is an well practiced art performed with motivation and pride. In an organization of any size in Korea, there is a strong commitment among the entire team to make others (namely who they are trying to induce into transacting business) to feel totally good about being there. In the Korean clubs, it is the attitude and behavior of the club members as a whole that makes it work, after the club owner got a headstart on the process. I would highly recommend following the Korean model of attitude to some extent to any club seeking to make their new members feel welcome.

Der-E, no wonder that Korean young man that I played in the SD National a month ago was so polite and bow to me all the time, I had a liking towards him after our match.

As far as members greeting new faces in the club, when I first join the SD TT club some years ago, there was an old gentleman who actually went around to greet and play with new players so they can feel welcome. Unfortunately not anymore. Our club is getting very busy, everybody is doing their thing, sometimes all 24 tables were occupied with players waiting and that's the time some board members will go around to check and ask new faces whether they are paid members. If not, they have to pay $5 to play, otherwise, let the members play.

In small clubs, greeting may be easier, but any larger club may not, especially in our current culture, remember, this is a me generation.

Yes a very good point, as first impresions count so even If you don't always have the right people there at the time of a new member arrival then at the very least the club should provide a information pack on what times they are open etc and who to contact, and have a brief survey form so the can collect details (as not to loose contact)

I'm definitively one of those. When me and my mate started playing in the club, people looked at us like something the cat dragged in No one wanted to play against us and no one showed any interest in us at all. We continued to go there and soon enough there was an uneven number of players, so they wanted to do some rotation, and we were involved in this. The next time around, we were involved even though there was an even number of experienced players. We still lost to every one in the club, but soon enough we were able to challenge them some and it didn't take to long until we started to win some matches and were seen as members of the squad.

Now, when new players arrive, I always make sure to give them a better welcome then the one we got. I talk to them, ask them about their history in the game and if they are new, I try to give them some pointers on how to play, where to find equipment and what kind of equipment they should look for. How ever, I do not offer my self to play with them This isn't because I see my self as to good, it is because I know that if I offer to play against one of them, the other one will simple be forced to sit and wait as no one else invites him/her up to play, not even my mate who got the same welcoming as I did.

Do I feel like I contribute to gaining new members to the club? Not necessarily, but I feel like I'm one of those who make new comers come back again.

Aye aye!

In a similar position with Speedplay -- juniors didn't want to play with me at first, it was the old-timers who did. They eventually warmed up to me when they saw me a couple of times already, though.

That's why I make time for the old-timers (over 60 group).

I like to think i am one to welcome people to our club.

there's a few of us at my club. our night controller is great with people and anyone new he'll introduce to people of a similar level and get them keen on playing. because we're a big club there's plenty of people.

Good to hear some of you are actually those key people that do make others feel welcome! I think it's good if the club committee does recognise these people, and show their appreciation some times...

I agree. I think the first night a newbie arrives at a club is hugely important. First impressions count, and this extends to the first games/matches a newbie plays. Nobody would like to turn up to a club and get defeated to nil every game.

Whenever I play someone new to my club I like to play to thier strengths rather than their weaknesses. Get some rallies going and try and show them how fun TT can be. If they turn up again for a few nights I might then point out a few things they could work on.

So I think while it is important to meet a new player it is also important to have them play against someone who will help them out and promote what the club stands for.

my experience is just like speedpaly and yuzuki...

turns out not so different in other countries as well...