OOAK Table Tennis Forum

How much do your family understand your love of table tennis?

How many of you are lucky enough to have a family that shares a passion for table tennis with you?

Wife - originally supportive, now negative through situation with son #1, though resigned to my participation.
Son #1 - was very good & represented the state in juniors, then we stopped him playing for behavioural reasons, now estranged so unknown.
Son #2 - played as an activity for Duke of Edinburgh, stopped playing when that finished. Interested when told about it.
Son #3 - never played formally but can hit a ball. Interested when told about it.
Daughter - plays as an activity for Duke of Edinburgh. Interested when told about it.
Brother - plays socially but could easily play comp - supportive.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

My wife understands and respects my interest (obsession ) with TT - she has her own hobbies and it works for us.

I'm actually not sure whether sharing love of TT with your family is more of a blessing or a curse: one of the things that is broadly agreed upon - you should never give your wife golf swing tips or try to teach her: better leave it to golf pros. Likely the same with TT. At the minimum a tricky minefield to navigate.

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USATT: 1776| League: 1957

My family has always been very supportive of my avid table tennis interest though I now play only socially. We enjoyed many memorable weekends away with friends when I played competition in London many, many, years ago in the Civil Service when living in the UK. Great days, great times!

hi, i'm very happy.
my family love ping pong. i don't difficulty in maintaining it.
You should pass passion around you.

My parents are in their late 70’s and my father still has a passion for the game despite a few injuries. My mother also played up until a few years ago. My missus doesn’t play but is supportive to the extent that she doesn’t mind the time I spend away from home, though it’s only a few hours per week so it doesn’t really affect her. Plus, if I play in a tournament she sometimes comes with me and we treat it as a weekend away. I play TT and she goes shopping!

In my opinion, TT is "the best" sport. That said, I am not passionate about sport.

I do this because it is fun and healthy. Good for body and mind.

I try to have my family share the fun.

The wife does not want to join. She can hit a ball, I know, but she's afraid she'd make a fool of herself (or perhaps that she'll be embarrassed by me making a fool of myself). She's probably not going to enjoy it anyway. Too worried about what the others think.
Firstborn: My daughter was into football for a few years, then changed to volleyball. She has been to a few TT trainings, even asked a few of her friends to come, but she was never really interested.
Son in the middle: Very much into TT. For 5-6 years he hardly missed a training session. A year ago he seemed to lose interest, but still came to the trainings. It turned out that the pressure to always improve didn't motivate him. He can still enjoy having a hit, but he's out of it as a regular activity.
Youngest daughter: She is beginning to get the hang of it, and it seems that she enjoys it. She does not want to miss a training night, or at least so she says. Skill building slowly, but she's only 8 so that is nothing out of the ordinary.

So, the questions:

Do I love TT? Yeah, I guess.
How much understanding from the family? Pretty much.
Wife thinks I need the exercise, and as long as at least one of the offspring is also into it she sees it as time well spent.
Kids understand the beauty of the game, also when they don't share the joy of participating.
Sharing? Limited. See above.

I sometimes feel that I'm a lousy motivator, and I'm supposed to be the coach. Lack of real passion may have something to do with it. Oh, well...

Wife: Understands and supports my interest. Misses me when I go away for tournaments or camps, or come in late from a match. Doesn't play, but appreciates the game.
Son 1: Can play, and likes it. Could be a good player, but doesn't really have time, and prefers squash at the moment.
Son 2: Has played, but not sustained an interest.
Daughter 1: Has played, but not sustained an interest.
Daughter 2: Has played, but not sustained an interest.
Brother: Plays in the local league. Doesn't train, but likes to play and talk about it.
Father: Plays in the local league. Could be quite good, but doesn't train in a focused way, and needs to be in a higher division to be challenged. Likes to play and talk about it.

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"When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way."

Read my blog: "LordCope's Latest Learnings Log": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24452

the wife and kids force me out to play as im a looney
the dogs hate it though

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igorponger wrote:

Day -by-day inhalation of the speed glues is not any good for health..

I don't come from a very sports oriented family. Most of the family members have no idea about TT or that I play in a club. Both parents are avid sports fans and supporters which is how I got movitated to try and play all kinds of sports. I had no idea about the physicals demands of different sports or the evolutionary and gradual systematic approach to train for each sport.

So far my understanding is what keeps me active and that I can improve in any activity I put my mind to it. And that improvement doesn't come from equipment, but rather from skill and knowledge applying talent to each activity. And that improvement comes from reducing error-rates, being steady, aiming for the goals and most of all training out the weaknesses and increasing strength VERY gradually on the sure-winners.

Not that I am playing better or anything Just attempting to go that extra minute or extra mile or extra shot, playing outside what I am comfortable with all the time. Fortunately family has either no idea or neutral for now.

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