Table tennis: fun and easy to learn
Not a basement game any more
Table tennis might seem more of a basement recreational game at first but it can develop into so much more.
Table tennis is a growing sport in this country, says Stephane Craan, director of the Annapolis Valley Table Tennis Association. Since the Olympic finals were on TV, Craan says she has received many emails of interest about the sport.
“It’s a sport that is very different from other sports,” says Craan. Table tennis is an accessible sport. First, anyone can learn to be a high-level player.
“We have members that are very athletic and play other sports and then we have players who don’t play other sports,” says Craan.
Second, it is a low-cost sport, especially at first.
Natasha Salsman is from Canning. Her son Joel Churchill has been playing table tennis for two years. Salsman says table tennis is very affordable with minimal equipment needs. Travel within the province is only once a month so it is not a big commitment for parents to provide transportation.
Youth who learn to play table tennis learn so much more than just the sport.
According to Scott DeCoste, male athlete representative for the Nova Scotia Table Tennis Association, table tennis teaches kids to become determined, persistent and meticulous. He says the sport demands that of its players and those who possess those traits excel.
Salsman says the game has taught her son about supporting and encouraging others, team values, the value of hard work and determination and that goals are attainable.
“Joel has had the opportunity at tournaments to play with older kids who have competed in the Canada Games and to learn from them and be encouraged by their success and realize that if he works for it, that could be him one day,” says Salsman.
DeCoste suggests that if youth want to learn to play, parents should keep it fun. Have a relaxed game or stand five feet from a bucket with a racquet and a dozen balls trying to get them in. Decoste says this is a great way to keep it simple and develop a core skill.
For youth who don’t have home equipment or want to learn a bit more, the only table tennis club in the Valley is at NKEC in Canning. The season runs from October to May with practices Wednesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. Use the gym entrance on the east side of the building.
There is no age limit, although club members are mostly Grade 7 to 12 students from a few schools in the area and some adult members, says Craan.
The club has a very relaxed, fun atmosphere and there is no strict commitment, says Craan. Come to practice when you can and if you wish to play for fun you can, or you can ask for free lessons. If you wish to take it seriously, you can compete at club and provincial level.
Stop in one afternoon, and you might find the activity is a hit!