Table Tennis Training with a Robot

In 2001, a group of table tennis enthusiasts formed an organization geared towards helping disadvantaged youth gain confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility. The American Youth Table Tennis Organization (AYTTO) develops, organizes and implements table tennis programs in urban schools and other community based organizations. The AYTTO began with one program at the Hoe Avenue Boys and Girls Club in New York City and quickly grew to a city-wide initiative with over 20 participating schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Public School Athletic Leagues.  The success of these programs inspired a group in Boston, Massachusetts to form two similar programs of its own using the AYTTO’s guidelines and coaching techniques.

The AYTTO programs are created and led by knowledgeable coaches with comprehensive backgrounds in table tennis. Every child who enters the program participates; no one sits on the sidelines. The programs follow national physical education teaching standards which help to ensure the children are learning how to be physically fit while having a great time learning the sport and making new friends. The program participants learn the difference between table tennis and ping pong. Table tennis is an Olympic sport and as such demands practice, concentration, and dedication. Youth involved with the AYTTO build their logic and strategic thinking skills through playing table tennis. They learn about fair play and good sportsmanship. Existing members may mentor new members, building friendships and establishing self-confidence.

The AYTTO provides free table tennis lessons to youth from the ages of eight to seventeen. Various programs exist to help the organization reach the maximum amount of youths possible. The Residency Program takes place after school and consists of a trained coach visiting the school or community location once or twice a week to work on table tennis skills with the children. Table tennis clinics are held in conjunction with Fat Cat Table Tennis Club and provide an opportunity for youth between the ages of eight and eighteen to train with world class coaches in a group setting.  Clinics are scheduled several times each year. The Saturday Academy is for children who desire to learn more about table tennis than what can be fit in during the after school sessions. The three hour Saturday sessions are available to program participants at no fee. Youth who are not AYTTO participants may register for the program by paying a small fee. There is also a summer program for AYTTO participants and any Junior who would like to learn new table tennis skills during the summer.

The AYTTO also has programs in place that enable them to reach out to adults who want to enhance the lives of youth through table tennis. The organization offers training and certification to teachers who want to teach table tennis to their students. The Mentoring Program is designed to teach the AYTTO principles and techniques to table tennis coaches who are not affiliated with the program but who are interested in learning more engaging ways to coach young players.

The AYTTO Board consists of men and women who understand the impact table tennis can have on a young life.  Ben Nesbit serves as the Board Director. He was the Executive Director of the governing body of table tennis, USA Table Tennis, for two years. Member Mel Eisner was an elected Board Member of the USATT for five years. He also served as the USATT President for two years and President of The Greater New York Table Tennis League for fifteen years. Member Santos Shi is a top table tennis player and avid supporter of both National and Local level Junior table tennis activities. Member Virginia Sung was a world ranked table tennis athlete and represented the USA Women’s Team in international competitions.  Each of these people, along with others who have invested time and energy into the AYTTO, share a strong belief that table tennis is more than a game. They know that the skills learned build confidence and self-esteem; that the interaction with other players fosters lifelong friendships. Self-confidence and respect for others lead to success in life. The AYTTO is helping to put today’s youth on a path to success.

For more information on how to improve your table tennis game, visit our store, Table Tennis Bargains, where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.

Popularity: 45%

USA Table Tennis (USATT) is the national governing body for table tennis in the United States. Table tennis clubs that are affiliated with USATT have met certain criteria and adhere to the rules and regulations as set forth by USATT. These sanctioned clubs are able to hold USATT sanctioned tournaments with prior approval of USATT. Results from these tournaments can be reflected in your National Rating. National Ratings of USATT members are published in the official Table Tennis Magazine and on the USATT website. Additionally, members have access to up-to-date listings of all approved equipment, official rules for game play, and invitations to USATT sanctioned tournaments. Some of the best players in the USA and around the world play in USATT sanctioned clubs. There are many opportunities to watch the best of the best in table tennis. For the USATT affiliated club nearest you, check out the club listings on our new iPhone app.

The San Diego Table Tennis Association (SDTTA) is located at the Balboa Park Activity Center at 2145 Park Blvd. in San Diego. The center offers hard wood flooring, excellent lighting, and more than twenty Butterfly tables. The organization was created with the intention of promoting the sport of table tennis while providing an environment for the best table tennis experience in San Diego. SDTTA meets this mission by offering open play hours to the community, organized club tournaments and leagues, social events, and USATT sanctioned championships.

The club offers a round robin tournament every Thursday. The tournament is free for members and $5 for non-members. Due to the extreme popularity of the weekly tournament, it is at times necessary to limit registration to the first eighty people. Registrations are accepted from 6PM until 6:25PM. The tournament begins at 6:45PM. Players are grouped by ratings or skill level if not rated. The club’s website, www.sdtta.org is updated with results from each tournament. If players are SDTTA members their ratings are tracked and updated on the website.   The site also includes a section where members can create profiles for others to view. There are currently over 300 registered members. Interested parties may visit the website to view a calendar listing of open play hours, tournaments, youth coaching and other events. In addition to information about SDTTA, the club’s website provides links to other table tennis facilities in the area.

The SDTTA has opened its doors to many over the years. Since moving to the Balboa Park Activity Center, they have hosted Olympic athletes, developed a strong Junior’s training program and been featured in a rock bands music video for MTV. Yes, a music video. Several SDTTA members and even the club’s Vice President were cast as extras in P.O.D’s 2002 music video for their single “BOOM”.

In their most recent effort to promote table tennis the board members of SDTTA are reviewing the possibility of constructing a bid to host the National Collegiate Table Tennis Championships in 2012. The center would be a perfect venue for the event.

Thank you for visiting Table Tennis Training with a robot! We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos. For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot. Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot. You can also visit the table tennis enthusiasts at Table Tennis Bargains.

Popularity: 70%

Great news! TableTennis.com has designed a Table Tennis Club Search iPhone app especially for you!

Our database contains over 300 table tennis clubs in the U.S.A, and we are constantly expanding and updating with the latest club information. We offer the most complete and accurate list of table tennis clubs searchable through the iPhone.

Your search options include…
“Find Clubs Near Me”
“Find Clubs by City/State”
“Find Clubs by Address”.

Each search result gives the club’s name, address, phone number, and website. We verify all our information with club owners and members, ensuring that when you search for a club, you’ll be given the most up-to-date contact information. We’ve combined all of our club data with an easy-to-use integrative map that shows your current location, uses descriptive pin points to help you browse through all the clubs in your area, and allows you to plot directions from any location to the club of your choice.

Click here to get this app.  Or simply visit the App Store on your iPhone or through iTunes, and search for “Table Tennis Club Search”. Then you can view and purchase this great app for a special introductory price of only $1.99!

When you’re looking for information on table tennis clubs in your area, or any area for that matter, use Table Tennis Club Search to find all the info you need!

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com! We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos. For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot. Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 75%

USA Table Tennis (USATT) is the national governing body for table tennis in the United States. Table tennis clubs that are affiliated with USATT have met certain criteria and adhere to the rules and regulations as set forth by USATT. These sanctioned clubs are able to hold USATT sanctioned tournaments with prior approval of USATT. Results from these tournaments can be reflected in your National Rating. National Ratings of USATT members are published in the official Table Tennis Magazine and on the USATT website. Additionally, members have access to up-to-date listings of all approved equipment, official rules for game play, and invitations to USATT sanctioned tournaments. Some of the best players in the USA and around the world play in USATT sanctioned clubs. There are many opportunities to watch the best of the best in table tennis. For the USATT affiliated club nearest you, check out the club listings at WWW.USATT.ORG

Table tennis fans have their choice of several table tennis clubs in Northern California. Ping Pong Dojo in Milpitas is a facility dedicated to advancing the sport of table tennis. The club is designed specifically for the table tennis player and features 3,000 square feet of dedicated table tennis space. Ceilings are 16 feet high, the shock absorbing custom floor is IITF approved, and optimal lighting is provided by twelve T5 fluorescent high bay stadium lights. The club features eight Butterfly Centerfold 25 Sky Rollaway tables and one Joola SC 3000 tournament table. For players who want to train with a table tennis robot, Ping Pong Dojo offers two Newgy Robopong 2040 training robots and one Paddle Palace E 2 Pro training robot. The club offers various levels of membership from an Open Play only option to an Elite Membership for more serious players. For more information visit www.pingpongdojo.com

Another popular club in Northern California is the Concord Table Tennis Club (CTTC). Located in Pleasant Hill, the club has been operating for thirty-seven years. Players of all abilities are welcome and first time visitors play for free. CTTC features eighteen Butterfly Centerfold tables and hardwood floors. The club is open four days per week for general practice and round-robin tournaments. They also hold beginner and intermediate training clinics and host one of the premier Juniors’ programs in the country. The club is open to the public but offers membership opportunities for those who desire to train on a regular basis. For rates and schedule information visit www.concordtabletennis.com

The Palo Alto Table Tennis Club (PATTC) is one of the largest clubs in the United States.  Located at the Cubberley Center in Palo Alto, the club offers fifteen tournament level tables in a well lit playing environment. The center is open for members and non-members four days per week. Training programs are offered for Juniors and adult players. Private coaching is also available. PATTC is a non-profit organization run by its members. All members are required to volunteer in some capacity whether by helping to close up the center at the end of the evening or by helping to set up for tournaments. For additional information visit www.tabletennisgold.com

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 89%

Jasna Reed is the type of athlete who brings attention to her sport. She has a tremendous amount of skill and just as much personality. Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina on December 20, 1970, Jasna was not one of those youngsters who was excited to play table tennis. In fact, to hear her tell it, she did not really like table tennis at all. Her parents wanted her to learn the game so they would drop her off at a table tennis training center for lessons. As soon as they left, so did Jasna, sneaking next door to watch other students training in karate or gymnastics. Her dislike for the game changed when she won her first tournament. She enjoyed the feeling of winning and it was a big enough draw to keep her in the sport.

Jasna is a four time Olympian, competing as a member of the Yugoslavia team in 1988 and 1992, and as a member of the United States team in 2000 and 2004. She won a bronze medal in the Women’s Doubles at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. She has often been named as one of the top ten players in the world, winning championships around the world. In 1992, after war had torn apart her home country, Jasna left to play table tennis in Belgium and then Japan. The money was decent, but she did not feel at home so she left. While playing tournaments in the U.S. she was approached with an offer to coach at a new training facility in exchange for an academic scholarship to Oakland University in Michigan. In 2002, when Texas Wesleyan University began its table tennis program, Jasna was the first recruit. These days she is the head coach for the university as well as a member of their table tennis team, all while pursuing her doctorate in education. For the first time in a long time Jasna feels at home. She hopes to one day become a teacher at the university where she has been welcomed so warmly.

Jasna did not earn a place on the U.S. team for the 2008 Olympics. She acknowledges that she may be on her way down the rankings field. She points to the lack of serious competition in the United States as one of the reasons she and other here are not able to compete on the international stage. One of the reasons she agreed to coach at TWU was her desire to help keep the program at its highest level. The university recruits players from outside of the United States, which, Jasna explains, helps U.S. athletes because it gives them tougher competition, enabling them the opportunity to be challenged and improve their game. Without more challenging competition, the United States is unlikely to rise to a level capable of earning a medal at any Olympics. U.S. Olympic Women’s coach, Doru Gheorghe, believes Jasna will help U.S. table tennis athletes to become more competitive while gaining more support from this country. He feels that she is capable of taking table tennis in a new direction, getting the sport in the public’s eye, and making them want to watch.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 86%

Finding activities that all members of your family will enjoy can be a challenge. Teenagers typically have little patience for the types of games that younger children enjoy. Small children often have difficulty understanding rules and objectives of games that would entertain older siblings. Table tennis is an excellent option for family game night! It can be enjoyed by everyone.

The concept of table tennis is simple enough to be explained to even very young children. There are not a lot of rules to remember, just a lot of fun to be had. Teenagers are frequently accused of being reclusive and unwilling to communicate. A family game of table tennis can help to keep everyone connected. The game fosters communication and interaction without the need for uncomfortable prompting. Siblings who, at times may appear to have nothing in common, can laugh together while watching mom and dad battle over the table and then join the fun in a doubles game.

Playing a table tennis game can become a time to reconnect. There are no cards to read or tokens to move. It is simply you and your partner with your rackets and a ball. You can catch up on recent events and find out what is going on in your child’s life. Without all of the everyday distractions, this could turn into a time when your teen feels open to sharing something that has been weighing on them.

A benefit of having a table tennis table at home is that you can play year round. Foldable tables require very little storage space and can be pulled out and set up with ease. Beginning a family tradition of pulling out the table when someone needs to get something off their chest is a great way to create a safe place for difficult discussions. Having a table tennis robot in the house can provide family members with the option of playing a game of solitary table tennis when no one else is available. It is also a good way to practice in between family game nights!

Table tennis has been called the best sport for the brain. It is excellent for developing hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and muscle building; all of which are important for young children and aging adults. These benefits alone are argument enough to make table tennis part of family fun night. President Obama purchased a table tennis table for his family to use at the White House shortly after taking office. His passion for table tennis is well-known and has been passed on to his wife and children. He understands its value as a stress reliever, brain booster, and family builder.

There are many distractions and complications in our world. Spending time with the people we love should be an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Finding time to reconnect and share with one another is an important and necessary part of building strong, healthy relationships. Table tennis is a tool that can be used to help our families stay connected and intact.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 84%

Sean Patrick O’Neill is a table tennis athlete, two- time Olympian, and world class coach. His father was a nationally ranked junior player as a youth and passed his love for the game on to his son. Sean began playing table tennis at the age of seven and took up training at the age of eight. The O’Neill family’s life was centered around the sport of table tennis. They played together, trained together, and hosted athletes from other countries when called upon to do so. When it became evident that Sean was a table tennis prodigy, he began to travel outside of the United States for more intensive training. He went to Sweden to train for six weeks at Nisse Sandburg’s famed Angby Club when he was just eleven years old. Later, he traveled to China on multiple occasions for rigorous training with top coaches. Sean took his training time seriously. He spent hours conditioning and training each day and then several more reviewing video of his competition. His effort and dedication was rewarded with wins in every age category of the U.S. National Championships, including the Under 17 category five times!

Sean continued to train extensively into adulthood. He won the U.S. National Men’s Singles title five times, the U.S. National Men’s Doubles title five times, and the Mixed Doubles Championship six times.  He earned a spot on the U.S. National Team each year from 1983 to 1995 and won numerous medals and World Cups at the National level. From 1982 to 1995 Sean dominated the table tennis field at the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival, formerly known as the National Sports Festival. He won an unprecedented eighteen gold medals, including seven consecutive Olympic Festival Singles Championships. His effort and dedication continued to pay off when he earned a spot on both the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic teams. While he did not medal at the Olympics, he made an impression and was called upon years later by NBC to assist with commentary at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. With this impressive listing of medals and accomplishments, it is not a surprise that he was named the USATT Male Athlete of the Year five times!

Once Sean decided it was time to retire from competing on a full time basis, he began to coach. The dedication he showed as a player carried over to his new career. He became the head coach of the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Table Tennis Paralympic teams. He also coached the team at the 2002 and 2006 World Championships and the Para Pan Am Games in 2003, 2005, and 2007. He was the head coach at the University of Virginia and was named the National Collegiate Coach of the year in 2005. His commitment to the sport of table tennis continued to remain evident and in 2006 he was named USA Table Tennis National Coach of the Year. He was recognized by the USATT in 2007 when he was inducted into the USATT Hall of Fame. Sean was once quoted as saying he wanted fans of table tennis to know his name. It is clear that this is one more goal he has set and achieved.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 86%

Table Tennis was introduced to the people of China in 1901 by the Westerners who settled in their country. The Chinese people enjoyed the recreational game immensely and played regularly. Their natural ability and dedication to training would eventually lead them to dominate the sport. China entered the World Championships for the first time in 1953. Six years later, Rong Guotuan became the first Chinese athlete to win a World Championship title in any sport. The country enjoyed the recognition of being at the top and began to dedicate extensive resources to training other potential champions and to experiment with equipment modifications.  In 1961, with extensive training, Zhuang Zedong won the Men’s Singles Title for China at the World Championships and returned to defend and retain his title three consecutive years. Chinese athlete Xhang Xi Lin further cemented his country’s reputation as table tennis leaders when he became the first athlete to use a combination bat during play. Dedication and innovation are two words used often when describing the Chinese table tennis system.

During a difficult time in China, from around 1965 to 1971, while under the rule of Ma Tse-Tung, China disappeared from the table tennis world stage. They continued to train, but did not compete in international competitions. China was essentially shut off from most of the world during this time. In 1971, the sport of table tennis acted as an equalizer to help mend broken bridges.  Love of the game  enabled teams from several countries to come together in China for a series of friendship matches. These matches acted as a catalyst to re-open communication between the United States and China.  Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai, proclaimed that the USA table tennis team’s visit to China had opened the door for people- to- people exchanges between China and the United States.

When China returned to the table tennis scene they made their presence felt. In 1981, the Chinese athletes won all seven gold medals at the World Championships held in Yugoslavia. The Chinese athletes dominated the field from this point forward, with few exceptions. In 1995, Chinese athletes once again won all seven gold medals at the World Championships, this time held in China. They repeated this feat time and time again: at the World Championships in Japan in 2001, in 2005 at the World Championships in China, 2007 in Croatia, and at the championship of all championships, China won all of the Gold Medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The table tennis community acknowledges that China is a formidable opponent. They also recognize the high level of skill achieved by the average Chinese player who lives and trains in China. Athletes from around the world flock to China to train with the exceptional coaches who train the Chinese team.  The level of talent in China is so great that athletes who are ranked as some of the best players in the world are not able to earn a spot on their own national team. In the past these players have left China and become citizens of other countries where they would be able to play on a national team. The ITTF has decided this is not a fair practice and has implemented changes to prevent Chinese players from moving to a new country for the sole purpose of being able to play on a national team.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 100%

A boxer with slow reflexes would not be a very successful boxer. A golfer with poor hand-eye coordination would be extremely frustrated on the golf course. A basketball player lacking agility would have a difficult time maneuvering past clusters of other players in an attempt to score a basket. Table tennis is an activity that can help people to improve their game-play in other sports. Athletes from across the sports universe have been introduced to table tennis as a tool that can be used to help them stay at the top of their own game, whatever that may be. Athletes can use table tennis robots as an effective tool for practicing and improving the skills that are important to their success.

Using a table tennis robot as a tool to train for other sports is economical and convenient. Robots range in price from a few hundred dollars to over one thousand dollars. Table tennis robots typically have different programs and settings that athletes can use to improve their reflexes and hand-eye coordination skills. Athletes can begin at a slower setting and increase the speed at which the robot serves each ball in order to improve their response time. Choosing to have the robot serving multiple balls in a quick succession, at different trajectories can help athletes to develop their reflexes and hand-eye coordination skills. Athletes will become more agile as they frequently move from one area of the table to another to return each serve.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson enjoy competing against one another on the golf course and over the table tennis table. To them, table tennis is a source of relaxation and social interaction. They may or may not realize the value of the game they enjoy as a hobby. Golf requires extreme concentration, so does table tennis. As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect”. Tiger and Phil are practicing several skills when they play table tennis. Not only are they reinforcing their ability to concentrate regardless of distraction or level of pressure, but table tennis also helps them to improve and maintain their hand-eye coordination skills, another important component of a successful golf game. By using a table tennis robot, these two top golf professionals can continue to enjoy table tennis as a method of relaxation, while at the same time maintaining the skills that help them to stay at the top of their game, even when they do not have a table tennis partner.

A basketball player using a table tennis robot is going to learn to anticipate each serve and her reflexes will improve as she responds with accurate returns. With a more advanced program, her agility will increase as she moves to respond to multiple serves at different trajectories. By heightening these skills, her level of play on the basketball court will improve. Her brain will be sharp and she will be better able to respond to her opponents actions. Her increased agility will help her to fight her way down the court and her developed hand-eye coordination will help her to maintain control of the ball. A boxer using a table tennis robot is going to learn to have quicker response times to each serve. He is going to become more agile and his reflexes are going to improve. This translates to the boxer have quicker response times, faster reflexes, and more agility in the ring.

No matter what sport you play, practicing against a table tennis robot is a great way to improve your athletic ability.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 95%

Part 3 of our video series on the new digital table tennis training robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050.

In this video, table tennis instructor Brian Pace shows you how to add digital power to a brand new digital Newgy Robo-Pong 2050 table tennis robot.

Thank you for visiting TableTennis.com!  We encourage you to continue browsing through our site for more articles about table tennis games and table tennis clubs and for lots of great table tennis videos.  For more information on how to improve your table tennis game (whether you’re playing indoor table tennis or outdoor table tennis), visit our eBay Table Tennis Store where you can learn about the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot.  Visit Newgy.com for more information straight from the manufacturer on how to play table tennis with this robot.

Popularity: 92%