“Ping Pong” is a documentary by Hugh Hartford and Anson Hartford.  Here is the description:                              Eight players with 703 years between them compete in the Over 80 World Table Tennis Championships. Ping Pong is a story of hope, regret, friendship, love—and the tenacity of the human spirit in the face of mortality. (60 mins) This film will air national on PBS’s award-winning documentary series, POV, on September 9.  Our library will offer an advance screening, projecting the film on our big screen and following it with a discussion, on Tuesday, August 27, at 6:00 pm.  Any help that you can provide with publicity would be much appreciated.  Also, please let me know if anyone from your group might be interested in facilitating the post-film discussion.  I usually lead them, but I think that our attendees would prefer the perspective of a ping pong aficionado.  Thank you.

A club member complained that a few of us are not serving legally.  By rule, the ball is tossed from an open hand out of the palm and tossed at least 6 inches in the air straight up and not hidden by any body parts.  I know we don’t have referees and most of us are not playing for the national championship, but let’s try to make an effort to attempt a legal serve, me included. Thanks, James Kahn, President SDTTA For reference, here are the actual ITTF rules:

2.06	THE SERVICE
2.06.01	Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server’s stationary free hand.
2.06.02	The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck.
2.06.03	As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his or her court and then, after passing over or around the net assembly, touches directly the receiver’s court; in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the right half court of server and receiver.
2.06.04	From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the level of the playing surface and behind the server’s end line, and it shall not be hidden from the receiver by the server or his or her doubles partner or by anything they wear or carry.
2.06.05	As soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm and hand shall be removed from the space between the ball and the net. The space between the ball and the net is defined by the ball, the net and its indefinite upward extension.
2.06.06	It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the assistant umpire can be satisfied that he or she complies with the requirements of the Laws, and either may decide that a service is incorrect.
2.06.06.01	If either the umpire or the assistant umpire is not sure about the legality of a service he or she may, on the first occasion in a match, interrupt play and warn the server; but any subsequent service by that player or his or her doubles partner which is not clearly legal shall be considered incorrect.
2.06.07	Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a correct service where he or she is satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical disability.

San Diego Table Tennis Association Board Meeting

July 12, 2013

Balboa Park Activity Center

This meeting is open to all members of the SDTTA. Call to order 7:10 pm by James. SDTTA Board Members Present: Shelley Hardy, James Kahn, Mark Adelman, and Bill Chang SDTTA Board Member absent: Kiet Tran and Shariq Ansari Communications not on agenda have a limit of 3 minutes. Secretary’s Report: A motion to approve the June SDTTA minutes was made by Mark and seconded by James. The SDTTA board approved the June minutes. Treasurer’s Report: Bill Chang presented the Treasurer’s Report, which is reconciled thru June 30, 2013. Mark made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report and James seconded it. The SDTTA board approved the Treasurer’s Report. Webmaster Report/ Daryl Sterling – No report. Membership Report – No report. Equipment Report: James and David Kim repaired two tables. Thank you James and David for valuable service to our club. Old Business:

1. James nominated Ira Framo to the open position on the SDTTA board. Mark seconded the

nomination and the board approved Ira as a member of the board. The Member Relations

Director position is now filled.

2. SDTTA needs to pay USTTA the affiliated dues before getting on their tournament website. It

will be paid ASAP.

3. Ideas to spark club interest and participation:

a. James will talk to Michelle regarding what the rules are for coaching at our club entail.

b. Mark will volunteer to coach 2 hours on Fridays. There will be posted a sheet for

members to sign up. Target goal for coaching is August 2.

c. The club wants to promote a peewee coach and a junior coach.

The motion to adjourn was made by Bill and seconded by Mark. The next meeting is August 9, 2013. Respectfully Submitted, Shelley Hardy, SDTTA Secretary

From an article by Pam Kragen

Growing up in Detroit during the Depression, Si Wasserman was so poor that the only sporting equipment he owned was an old football stuffed with newspapers.

Then one day the 12-year-old orphan walked into a local recreation center and became transfixed by the sight of two men batting a small plastic ball back and forth across a table with wooden paddles. It was the beginning a lifetime love affair with table tennis.

Last week, the 91-year-old Wasserman, now an Oceanside resident, clinched his first-ever grand slam by winning the last of four major national and international table tennis championships for his age group.

The victory took place July 2-6 at the U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships in Las Vegas, where he was the oldest competitor out of more than 1,000 players from 26 countries. To win his title in the 85-and-older bracket, he beat Berta Speisman of Laguna Woods in three games straight.

“She’s a young 86, and she plays a good game, but I’m a little stronger,” he said of the 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 victory.

“He’s the king,” said player Shelley Hardy of Carlsbad. “He’s the top person we honor and respect, and he’s a consummate gentleman.”

Read the full article on UTSanDiego

Some members think we have maid service and someone else will clean up for them.   Everybody can pitch in and  put away  tables and barriers.  And the backroom is not a dumping ground.  Tables need to be stacked tight like sardines so everything  can fit in.  Put broken items off to the side.  Show  first-timers what to do and where things go.  Remind players who walk away from a table to put it away. Thanks, James Kahn, President SDTTA

For more pictures of Jena, click here. Jena Doiron’s memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 3^rd at 10:00 am at Sacred Heart Church 4776 Saratoga Avenue, San Diego Ca 92107 (Ocean Beach/Point Loma).

Thank you for those who helped and attended our Saturday picnic.  Efforts to make us a community of people with a common passion for table tennis is important.  Anything, we as individuals can do to enhance our experience at SDTTA, please inform us on how to make things better. I would like to see the club filled on Fridays and Saturdays.  Most of you enjoy our Thursday tournaments.  Can we arrange events that will bring you to the club on the weekends?  What do our better players want that will attract them back  to the club? The SDTTA Board would like to know if there are members that would like to participate in a FREE Coaching Clinic on a regular basis. If you are not currently participating in one of the ongoing Coaching Clinics and feel you would benefit by having some instruction please post your interest in the comments section so we can contact you as to when and where you can come to improve your game. James Kahn, President SDTTA