Green Mountain Table Tennis Club Cub Scout Table Tennis Program

Session 1 Parent's Guide

The primary goal of this program is to introduce scouts to the sport of table tennis. This handout is intended to re-enforce the lessons learned at session 1. Parents are encouraged to review the material provided in this document. It provides a set of basic information that can be used to develop a beginner's skills in the sport. The material for this handout was compiled from several sources on the web. The web is a wonderful source of information on the sport of table tennis. The more you learn, the less you seem to know! A very good source for table tennis information that was written as a high school project as part of Think Quest can be found at http://library.thinkquest.org/20570/intro.html#TOP. Several sections from this site are included in the handout. Remember that the GMTTC has open club play for all ages every Tuesday night from 6PM to 8:15PM, October through March, at The Rutland Town School.

Event 1: The Rules Of Table Tennis. This material reinforces the information from the rules of table tennis event.

History of Table Tennis Source: http://www.fortunecity.com/olympia/dimaggio/62/tthistory.html

Very little can be said about the history of table tennis. There is the creation of the game, and the development of the game, but that's all.

Table tennis was created in 1881 by bored British Officers who carved a ball from champagne cork and used cigar box covers to bat it back and forth across a barrier of books dividing a table. Of course the sport has changed drastically in the past century, and it has become much more popular. As mentioned in the "Description" section, table tennis can be played by anyone of any age, however less than 1% of these players actually play competitively. The whole concept of table tennis competition didn't even take shape until the 1930's. Before that, it was played at parties and was just "fun". In fact, during the early 1900's, the paddles were made like tennis rackets, with long handles and a pear shaped playing surface (see pictures below). By looking at the following pictures, it can be judged the table tennis "ping-pong" was played much by the wealthy or royalty, and by women as well.

Spear Boxed Set ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

This beautiful set is complete with wood bats, net and netposts, and

features one of the finest and most colorful lithographs of the era,

dating to 1902. Much of the early Table Tennis graphics show the players

in elegant clothing, and usually show both men and women in active play.

Tennis de Salon ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

This superb lithograph shows another charming scene from the early days

of Table Tennis, using a French name for the game. Circa 1902 - a lovely

work of art.

Sala Set ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

This very rare early set features a pair of drum-style battledores and

cloth-covered balls, with colorful lithograph in a handsome wood box.

The balls were covered with cloth so as not to scratch Mama's dining

table! The only known example of this wonderful set, circa 1901.

Complete with rare advertising postcard with the same scene.

Spalding ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

Another lovely boxed set from the earliest days of Table Tennis, this

one again features a fine color lithograph, as well as an unusual and

very rare pair of elegant cane rackets, with a single sheet of sheepskin

vellum embedded in the racket head.

Milton Bradley ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

This beautiful boxed set by Milton Bradley shows an experimental name

for the new game: The Royal Game of Table Tennis. Complete with pair of

parchment battledores, net and netposts, circa 1901.

Horsman ©Copyright Racket Sports Heritage

Another fine early boxed set, complete with rackets, net and netposts,

with colorful parlor scene lithograph on the boxlid. Made by Horsman,

circa 1902.

After looking at all these old sets, look at the type of paddle that table tennis

players use today:

Think of how this design evolved through the past century. Amazing, isn't it?

This picture was taken in early 1998. Notice how the players look very athletic, and they are wearing "active wear". Compare this to the pictures of the people playing with the old equipment.

For a reason unknown, the Chinese took table tennis as their national sport. The Asians started by using the "penhold grip", unlike Americans, who use the shakehand grip (See Basic Skills). However, more Chinese are learning the western style of table tennis play and are changing to the shakehand grip.

In China, If you asked someone to play table tennis, they'd probably ask you how how well you played. China has an estimated 4 million (4,000,000) tournament players, comparable to the United States' 4 thousand (4,000)

The evolution of table tennis took a long time, as anyone can tell. '); } // -->

New rules for 2001 Source: http://www.megaspin.net/rules/newrules2001.asp

Table Tennis Rules New Rules for 2001

The amended versions of the laws and regulations affected by the AGM decision to adopt the 11 point scoring system are shown below, with the changes underlined. These laws and regulations came into effect on 1 September 2001.

2.11 A Game 2.11.1 A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when the game shall be won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.

2.12 A Match 2.12.1 A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.

2.13 The Order of Serving, Receiving and Ends 2.13.3 After each 2 points have been scored the receiving player or pair shall become the serving player or pair and so on until the end of the game, unless both players or pairs score 10 points or the expedite system is in operation, when the sequence of serving and receiving shall be the same but each player shall serve for only 1 point in turn. 2.13.6 The player or pair serving first in a game shall receive first in the next game of the match, and in the last possible game of a doubles match the pair due to receive next shall change their order of receiving when first one pair scores 5 points. 2.13.7 The player or pair starting at one end in a game shall start at the other end in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a match the players or pairs shall change ends when first one player or pair scores 5 points.

2.15 The Expedite System 2.15.1 Except where both players or pairs have scored at least 9 points, the expedite system shall come into operation if a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play or at any earlier time at the request of both players or pairs. 2.15.3 If the expedite system is introduced, or if a game lasts longer than 10 minutes, all subsequent games of the match shall be played under the expedite system.

3.4.4 Intervals 3.4.4.1 Play shall be continuous throughout a match except that any player is entitled to 3.4.4.1.1 an interval of up to 1 minute between successive games of a match; 3.4.4.1.2 brief intervals for toweling after every 6 points from the start of each game and at the change of ends in the last possible game of a match. How to score a table tennis game Source: http://tabletennis.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Keep_Score_Table0964661055.htm

For maximum fun, you will want to learn the basic rules of the game. Games are NOW played to 11 points not 21! Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 15 minutes

Here's How:

1. Preliminary matches are often the best of 5 games. CHAMPIONSHIP matches are often the best of 7 or 9 games.

2. After deciding the serve, each player will serve TWO points each.

3. If a player serves a net ball (called a 'let serve'), the point is replayed. (There are no limits to the number of let serves a player may serve.)

4. The server in singles can serve anywhere: short, long, straight, or cross-court. Only in doubles do you have to serve diagonally from your right court to the opponent's right court.

5. If you volley the ball while it is still above the table surface, you lose the point.

6. If you move the table, or touch it with your free hand, during the rally, you lose the point.

7. If a you or your clothing touches the net or post during the rally, you lose the point.

8. If you hit the ball twice in succession, you lose the point.

9. If your shot hits a wall, the ceiling, or misses the opponent's side of the table, you lose the point.

10. Change ends of the table after each game.

11. The player who serves at the beginning of a game is the receiver at the beginning of the next game.

12. After the first player scores the 5th point in the final game of the match, change ends. If you forgot to change at 5, then change as soon as you realize it.

13. If your opponent distracts you by talking or yelling while the ball is in play, play a let.

14. At 10-10, the score is called "Deuce". A player must then win by 2 points. Alternate serves until one player has a 2-point lead.

15. Shake hands after every match to show good sportsmanship.

Tips:

1. Use quality equipment whenever possible. Sandpaper paddles are illegal because they damage the ball.

2. Try the new 40mm balls. They slow the game down, add to the length of the rallies, and are easier to see.

3. The "Skunk Rule," in which a player is declared winner at 7-0, does not exist in table tennis. Play until someone reaches 11. If you can win 11-0, go for it!

4. Learn the proper strokes. Avoid the temptation to just smash every ball you can.

5. Once you become the neighborhood champ, it is time to visit a local club or enter a sanctioned tournament.

Event 2: Holding the paddle Lesson 2 shows the scout variations of table tennis paddles and introduces them to the different grips used by table tennis players.

Table Tennis Equipment Source: http://www.newgy.com/Lessons/lesson67.htm

Excerpts from Larry Thoman's Newgy Robo-Pong 2000 Player's Instructional Manual

TABLE TENNIS EQUIPMENT

There is an endless variety of rackets, blades, and rubber sheets available. It is beyond the scope of this manual to cover all the different kinds. Therefore I recommend getting a racket of good quality and medium price capable of producing all the strokes discussed in this manual. A racket is composed of two main parts-the blade or wooden part, and the rubber covering on the face of the racket. Please look at Photos 1 & 2 on the next page. According to official table tennis rules, the rubber covering must be colored bright red on one side of the blade and black on the other side. Plain wooden rackets with no rubber covering and sandpaper rackets are both prohibited. These types of rackets do not permit a player to perform the strokes described in later sections, so please use one of the recommended types. If you have been using sandpaper, plain wood, or hard rubber, a sponge rubber racket will feel heavy and uncontrollable at first. By following the instructions in this book, you will soon learn how to angle your new racket correctly to compensate for spin and how to apply your own spin to the ball. Robo-Pong 2000 simulates playing with inverted sponge rubber so you should be able to quickly adapt to your new racket. It is important to have your own racket and to take good care of it. Look for a racket that is comfortable in your hand and feels well-balanced and not too heavy or too light. The fit of the handle in your hand is important. Handles come in several shapes, so try out a variety of shapes and sizes before deciding on one. The wood from which the racket is made should be of medium stiffness, such as basswood, willow, or birch. The blade should be of 5-ply construction. A good starting blade would be the Newgy Acclaim or the Newgy Applause. The rubber is the next item to select. The most versatile rubber, and therefore the

one that I strongly recommend for learning the basics, is inverted rubber. Inverted (pips-in) rubber has a smooth, grippy surface on top of a layer of dense cellular sponge (see Photo 2 ). The smooth, grippy outer surface is the best surface for applying spin to the ball. The underlying layer of sponge rubber gives a catapult action to the ball and increases the amount of speed that can be applied to the ball. This is the rubber choice of 95% of all top players. The rubber, such as Newgy Mercury or Omega, should be rated medium in spin and speed, high in control, and be 1 1/2 millimeters thick. If these ratings are not displayed on the package, you may need to ask the vendor for these ratings. Look for the ITTF logo on the rubber surface to assure that the rubber is manufactured to ITTF specifications. Be sure to keep your rubber clean by washing with soap and water after every use and storing it in a protective case. Dirty rubber does not play as consistently as clean rubber. Although you may buy preassembled rackets (blades with rubber already attached), it's much better to select the blade and rubber separately and have the supplier glue the rubber onto the blade. This way, you may replace the rubber without also replacing the blade. The rubber on most preassembled rackets is all but impossible to remove. Your rubber should be replaced when the tackiness of the surface is noticeably different between the center of the racket where you frequently strike the ball and the edge of the racket where you seldom hit the ball. If you need additional help with equipment selection, contact the Newgy Customer Service Department. When purchasing a table, look for a smooth, even surface of 3/4" thickness with a sturdy frame underneath. Your net set should be made of cord and have top and bottom strings for adjusting the net tension. Since the side nets of Robo-Pong 2000 attach to your table net, having a good net set is crucial to having the side nets function correctly. Cheap plastic nets and flimsy net posts do not offer enough support for the attachment of side nets. If you have trouble finding good net sets locally, call Newgy Customer Service. When setting up your table, give yourself plenty of playing room at the player's end of the table. You need a lot of space so your strokes will not be hampered and to give yourself a sense of unrestricted movement. Also it is helpful to keep your playing area clean and free of objects that balls can roll under or into.

Photo 1: Table Tennis Racket, Front

Typical table tennis racket with inverted rubber, front

view

Photo 2: Table Tennis Racket, Side

Typical table tennis racket with inverted rubber, side

view.

The Shakehand Grip Source: http://www.fortunecity.com/olympia/dimaggio/62/ttbasic.html

The Grip

In table tennis, professionals play with either the shakehand grip (see fig. 1, 2) or the penhold grip. The shakehand grip is aptly named because you hold the paddle as if you were shaking someone's hand, with your index finger extending over the bottom part of the rubber on the backhand side (see fig. 2)and your thumb slightly touching the rubber on the forehand side (see fig. 1). Notice how only 3 fingers wrap around the handle.

The penhold grip is also aptly named because you hold the paddle just like a pen, only grasping the paddle at the top of the handle. Because of this, "penholders" often use paddles with special handles more comfortable for them. It is your choice which grip you want to use, but I strongly suggest you use the shakehands grip, because very few people use the penhold grip now and it is difficult, if you play penhold, to play against someone who uses shakehands. Also, the shakehands grip makes table tennis a lot easier to play, because it gives you freedom of wrist and allows you to hit easily from both forehand and backhand sides.

More information on holding the paddle Excellent work by some high school students. Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/20570/basitech.html

Guide to Grips

The way one chooses to hold his/her table tennis paddle will make a big difference in his/her play. There are currently 3 "standard" grips existing in table tennis today. Because of lack of experience/expertise, this website will cover techniques in shakehands only, but most strokes will transfer over to the other grips with only a few modifications.

The shakehands grip is the prevalent grip of table tennis today(as of 1998), used by the majority of recreational and professional players. The paddle is gripped with all fingers, with the thumb resting by itself on the opposite side as the index finger. The grip is analogous to shaking a hand at an approximately 45-degree angle. The pinky, ring, and middle finger wrap around one side of the handle, and the index finger rests on the bottom edge of the rubber. The thumb rests on the top of the handle on the other side, thumbnail perpendicular to the wood. It should point in the same direction as the index finger. When held out straight in front of you, the paddle's edge should form a line with the outstretched arm. The grip should feel natural, with no particularly uncomfortable areas. Too tight a grip can sacrifice control and power. Be sure to grab the handle loosely enough so that another person would have no trouble plucking it from your hand. But at the same time, maintain enough tightness so the paddle won't fly out of your hand during an intense loop shot.

Some of the advantages of using the shakehands grip are:

• Equally strong forehand and backhand advantage(provided you pay equal attention to both)

• Wide selection of paddles to choose from

Once a dominant grip in its heyday, the penhold grip still has its supporters, world class players included. The racket is gripped as one would grip a pen, with the thumb and index finger, with the rest of the fingers being tucked away on the other side. There are several variations to this grip, and two types of paddles to reflect this. The "Chinese" paddles are basically shakehands paddles with a shortened handle. The remaining fingers rest against the other side. "Japanese" paddles have a raised handle, which is called a "hook." The index finger curls around the "hook" for extra leverage. Which one you use depends on personal preferences. Penhold paddles typically only have one side covered with a rubber sheet. This makes them lighter than most shakehands paddles. The other side must still comply with the paddles rule, so it is usually painted red or black, or covered with a sheet of colored paper.

Some of the advantages of using the penhold grip are:

• A dominant forehand game(while backhands are possible with this grip, the vast majority of penhold players rely on their forehand game)-quick feet are required to sustain this!

• Since it is not as widely used, an element of surprise against opponents unfamiliar with the grip

The Seemiller grip is named after its developer, 5 time U.S. champion Dan Seemiller. This highly unorthodox grip uses one side to hit both backhand and forehand shots. The grip is similar to the shakehands, except that the index finger wraps around the edge of the paddle and the thumb points "forward" to the hitting surface.

Some of the advantages of using the Seemiller grip are:

• A superior blocking position

• Chances are more people don't know about this grip as much as they do about the penhold

• The same wide selection of paddles that shakehanders enjoy

Regardless of which grip you choose, these guidelines apply:

• Keep the grip loose

• If you are experiencing unusual trouble with a certain stroke, try adjusting the grip a bit

• Play a game that best fits your grip - allaround game for shakehanders, a forehand attacking game for penholders, blocking game for Seemiller grippers. But feel free to make an exception if you so dare.

• If you are just starting out, have your grip checked out by a coach or a skilled acquaintance. Bad habits are hard to unlearn.

• Use the proper paddle for your grip. This shouldn't be too hard, but attempting to use shakehands on a Japanese penhold paddle can be hazardous to your health.

Event 3: The basic serve Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/20570/basitech.html Basic Service Techniques

The following are the basic rules of service:

1. The ball must be held above the table level in order for the opponent and umpire to see it.

2. The ball must be held in the palm of the hand with fingers stretched, and tossed vertically at least six inches.

3. The ball must be struck only on the way down.

4. The ball must be struck behind the end line.

Serves are entirely up to the player; there are no specific serves that must be used by everybody. But to

begin with, there are some basic serves that should be experimented with. Imparting spin on these serves should be concentrated mostly on the wrist.

Backspin- just like pushing or chopping, a backspin serve is executed with an open racket slicing the bottom of the ball.

Topspin- like driving, topspin serves can be done hitting with a flat racket, or like looping, where the player grazes the top of the ball with a closed racket for more spin.

Sidespin- simply hit the back of the ball in a left-to-right or right-to-left motion, as desired. To make the stroke easier, try holding the racket in front of you and brushing the bottom of the ball in a pendulum motion.

Notes on serves: Be sure to assume the ready position as soon as you finish your service motion. Keep the ball as low as possible to prevent an early attack by the opponent. Experiment with all the spins; mix up your serves during games. The spins are not the only thing that should be varied. Practice placing the ball in different depths and in different directions. Unlike doubles, a singles serve can go anywhere on the opponent's court. The advantage to service is the uncertainty faced by the returner. Be as inconspicuous as possible.

Event 4: The basic strokes Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/20570/basitech.html

Basic Strokes

For all of the strokes described below, the arm should be very relaxed. Power should be concentrated on the waist, forearm, and wrist (acting together) like a whip, with the upper arm moving very little. Almost every shot requires a little movement to get into correct positioning-in other words, you can't stand still and play table tennis! And always remember to return to the ready position following each shot.

The Drive

Drives, a light topspin stroke that produces a low ball trajectory, are the primary offensive strokes in table tennis. One employs drives to force errors and to set up winners. The mastery of both the forehand and backhand drives is important because it will give your opponent less options when using attacking strokes of his/her own. In executing this and all other offensive strokes, the usage of the entire body in unison is important for consistency and power. Keep in the ready position until you are ready to execute the shot and remain relaxed but responsive(this is very important).

FOREHAND DRIVE: Keep the upper arm close, but not flush, to the torso. The forearm (form a rough 90 degree bend with the upper arm) should be drawn back to the 3 o'clock position, and let the waist turn naturally along with the arm (this is where relaxing is important). Shift your weight toward the right foot at the same time. While shifting your weight back to your left foot, swing forward with a slight upward motion, with the waist providing additional force in the swing. Use the elbow as a pivot point; it should not move so much up and down, but also should be allowed to move slightly forward in the follow-through. Contact with the ball should be made slightly to the side of the body after the top of the bounce. Make sure the paddle is somewhat closed (or facing downwards at an angle), and remains that way throughout the stroke. Follow-through should finish when racket is parallel with the left shoulder. Immediately return to the ready position. The left foot should be slightly in front of the right for support.

BACKHAND DRIVE: From the ready position, the waist turns left with the racket pointing towards the

9 o'clock position. When following through, contact with the ball is made in front of the body, slightly after the top of the bounce. Let the elbow again act as the pivot point, and snap the forearm forward in a slightly upward direction. Make sure the paddle is closed. Follow-through should finish naturally (about 12~1 o'clock) after contact with ball. The left foot should be slightly ahead of the right.

Note : Be sure to contact the top half of the ball when hitting topspin drives.