Posted by Team 20570 on November 21, 1998 at 21:51:52:
In Reply to: Re: Please Help!! posted by John Almos on November 17, 1998 at 10:52:54:
: : Hi, I would really like to know why The U.S. isn't a "super power" in the great sport of table tennis like it is in other sports?
That is because the current championship countries(China, Sweden, etc...) have table tennis players whose entire livelihood, literally, revolves around the sport. They practice and get paid for doing so, 9 or more hours a day. Most of them obviously don't have another occupation because of this. Table tennis also requires constant conditioning and the utmost in discipline in life. In a country full of goodies like the US that's kind of hard!:) But make no mistake, US has several hard-hitters on the ITTF world league. Cheng Yinghua, Fan Yi Yong, and Jimmy Butler all have world rankings, as do several others.
: : Also please help! I live in Minnesota and my dream is to make it to the olympice in table tennis. Do you know of any trainers that are in Minnesota or close to it that are for hire? How do you become an olympic table tennis player?
Train early, train diligently, above all get a good basic background(if you haven't done so already) and go at it constantly. Seek out and play in tournaments, gain experience. Treat it like a real sport, and you will get better. To receive a list of qualified coaches around the USA, join the USATT. Find it at www.usatt.org
: : Thanks alot! YOU HAVE A GREAT WEB SIGHT!!
: Could You Please E-mail me. Thanks again!