2017 Goebel Senior Table Tennis Tournament Pictures

Table Tennis - The Sport- From My View

                     Table Tennis- The Sport

There are many team and individual sports around the globe, that are great to watch and play.  But I have found, in my experiences, that more and more people are finding, that table tennis is one of the  greatest challenges of sport.  In my experiences in the many sports I have played , I have come across many enjoyable challenges in athletics.  I have played team sports at high level, as well as individual sports.  The reason I say, that table tennis is a great challenge, would come in comparison to other sports.  In comparison to the other sports, I would rank table tennis number one, in difficulty.  This game or the sport of table tennis is quite fun to play, and a lot of people enjoy it,  at the recreation level, to the top level of play.  But if you have aspirations of becoming the next world champion, or national champion, there may be a long road to hoe.    You would better be prepared to take on and tackle all the variables this sport has to offer.  As you scroll down you will find some articles on how many things that go into this sport.  There is equipment, which varies to ones taste or skill level.  There are paddles and rubber, in  which there are plenty to chose from. You will have to invest some time into finding, the best paddle and rubber to suit your game. So you might have to ask for some advice or try some equipment out, to find the what is most suitable for you.  There are fast paddles, slow paddles, combo paddles, fast rubber, slow rubber, pimples rubber, smooth rubber, tacky rubber, non tacky rubber, anti spin rubber.  That's just one aspect of the game, try playing against all these different kinds of equipment variations!  When I started playing table tennis, I didn't have a clue to what kind of paddle or rubber to use.  I would find out about some things when,  I would play a better and more experienced player.  Sometimes they would give you advice on improving your play and comment on what kind of equipment you were using.  Not until I tried out, several kinds of combinations of equipment, did I see that I needed to focus on a paddle and rubber that was medium speed, or a medium level to start with.  In my opinion, you need to have equipment that suits your level of play, then when you feel confident, you can graduate, to more advanced equipment.  This sport as I mentioned has quite a few variables in it, so starting out, you need to have control over your own strokes and footwork to even contend with your opponents variables.  I have learned most of what I know now, on advice from other players, coaches, and playing against different styles of play, in tournaments. Of course a element in any sport that becomes important is, the mental aspect.  With a lot of variables in a sport such as this, can be taxing on the patience and the nerves of the individual, to put it mildly!   It took time for me, to deal with all these variables, when I started out it, was bit overwhelming.  But I think, when I started to learn about what I needed to get better, winning and losing became a lesson onto its self.  John Wooden was a inspiration to me in many ways,  and in a famous quote, he said, "Sports do not build character, they reveal it."  This sport is the greatest sport I have ever been involved with, and the benefits are endless.  You get great exercise playing, you meet new people along the way, and find some great friendships along the way as well, which is a great benefit!  As in the Camarillo club and other places I play, it is fun at any level, and as I say, the benefits are endless. 

PING PONG VS TABLE TENNIS

                         

Paddle

Rubber

Rubber - Continued