It is Thursday night at the Rec Cen. The usual sounds of sneakers squeaking on the gym floor and balls colliding with nets are present. But tonight, basketball players are not causing all the clamor. The shoes and voices making noise belong to the faithful few who show up for Intramural Table Tennis on Thursdays between seven and nine in the evening.
Many people have played ping pong in their basement or in a friend’s backyard, but few have played Table Tennis. The difference between the two games is a matter of standards, uniformity, and language. Table Tennis is the sport’s official name, advocated by USA Table Tennis, an organization that hosts nationwide competitions. However, in China, where the game has widespread popularity, it is called Ping Pong. There are regulated rules for the American Table Tennis competitions, whereas driveway ping pong games, can have “all kinds of crazy rules,” according to Adam Hurwitz, a third year Global studies major and Intramural Table Tennis participant. These rules state that games are played to eleven, and servers alternate every two points, and the ball must be tossed six inches in the air on all serves. Trickery while serving is necessary as some serious Ping Pongers are able to determine how the ball is spinning by the looking at or hearing an opponent serve.
Three students separated themselves from the pack during competition, and by no coincidence, these three players have experience with competitive Table Tennis. Andrew Berman, a grad student at UCSB, learned to play from his dad and played in USATT competitions. Peng Zheng, a first year Economics major, played competitively in China. Lastly, David Ellerton, who is obtaining a Ph.D. in Religion Studies, also played in USATT competitions, but had not picked up a paddle in sixteen years before coming out for Intramural Table Tennis a couple weeks ago. By the end of the night, Berman had beat Ellerton but lost to Zhang. But Zhang lost to Ellerton, leaving no tangible way to determine a clear champion for the week.
Besides the impossible spin on their serves, their perfect form, and their unflappable composure during matches, one other aspect made these three stand out: their paddles. These finely crafted instruments were all custom made to fit each Sultan of Spin’s specific style. The paddle rests so comfortably in each Rally Master’s hand that it seems like they were born holding it.
Despite the esteemed pedigree of these three Barons of the Backhand, they fit in as just another student in the jovial and relaxing atmosphere of Thursday night Intramural Table Tennis. The games always contain friendly chatting and lead to odd discoveries as Connor Oakes, a third year Political Science major found out. “David [Ellerton] played competitively against my sister,” Oakes said. Between the lively conversations and the competitive matches, these Pharaohs of the forehand will be causing a racket at the Rec Cen every Thursday night.
