2008 Woodie Awards
Table tennis team paddles competition; ranks 13th
Nolan Snoap
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
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Respect may be hard to come by if table tennis continues to be viewed as more a game than a sport.
McInerney held out hope that the movie Balls of Fury would build up interest in the sport. The film, a Mortal Kombat-style spoof of table tennis, received poor reviews and is far from an enlightening view of the sport. Nevertheless, McInerney said the film would benefit his organization.
"I think that even though the movie is a spoof and makes table tennis look comical, bad PR is PR," McInerney said. "Exposure is exactly what the sport needs here in the states."
Club members aren't restricted to one playing field. Travel opportunities present themselves for club and team members alike.
"We don't just play here on campus, we play all around," said John Junco, table tennis club vice president. "Whether you're looking to play for fun or to actually play on the team, you can come with us to Florida State or even maybe to nationals in Las Vegas. We play pretty much everywhere now that people are learning about the sport a little more."
There is a wealth of information regarding the sport that can be learned from joining the club. For example, one might learn the difference between pingpong and table tennis. As club members attest, the two familiar terms are not synonymous.
The game of pingpong can be played by anyone with a table, a net, two paddles and a ball. Rules can be determined by the players, and it is generally played for fun by anyone with room for a table and a few minutes to kill.
Table tennis, however, is the competitive evolution of pingpong. There is a set standard for rules of play, and is recognized as a sport.
Club members claim that true table tennis players can beat pingpong fans in competition every time.
"What a lot of people don't realize is that this sport is basement," McInerney said. "And there are a lot of people who love to play pingpong but not a lot of people who love to play table tennis."
For more information about the table tennis club, visit www.knightstabletennis.com.
McInerney held out hope that the movie Balls of Fury would build up interest in the sport. The film, a Mortal Kombat-style spoof of table tennis, received poor reviews and is far from an enlightening view of the sport. Nevertheless, McInerney said the film would benefit his organization.
"I think that even though the movie is a spoof and makes table tennis look comical, bad PR is PR," McInerney said. "Exposure is exactly what the sport needs here in the states."
Club members aren't restricted to one playing field. Travel opportunities present themselves for club and team members alike.
"We don't just play here on campus, we play all around," said John Junco, table tennis club vice president. "Whether you're looking to play for fun or to actually play on the team, you can come with us to Florida State or even maybe to nationals in Las Vegas. We play pretty much everywhere now that people are learning about the sport a little more."
There is a wealth of information regarding the sport that can be learned from joining the club. For example, one might learn the difference between pingpong and table tennis. As club members attest, the two familiar terms are not synonymous.
The game of pingpong can be played by anyone with a table, a net, two paddles and a ball. Rules can be determined by the players, and it is generally played for fun by anyone with room for a table and a few minutes to kill.
Table tennis, however, is the competitive evolution of pingpong. There is a set standard for rules of play, and is recognized as a sport.
Club members claim that true table tennis players can beat pingpong fans in competition every time.
"What a lot of people don't realize is that this sport is basement," McInerney said. "And there are a lot of people who love to play pingpong but not a lot of people who love to play table tennis."
For more information about the table tennis club, visit www.knightstabletennis.com.