Test your skill in table tennis

Watching the action of London’s Olympic Games can do one of two things. It can either intimidate or motivate you to take on an Olympic sport!

So why not give Olympic sport table tennis a try? At the Rhode Island Table Tennis Association in Manville, testing out the sport is a possibility.

“We welcome everybody at all levels of ability, women and men,” said Chuck Cavicchio, President of the RI Table Tennis Association.

To put your table tennis skills to the test, Wednesdays and Thursdays are open for practicing. Monday and Tuesday evenings are dedicated to league nights.

If you think tackling the sport will be a challenge, ask others around the room for guidance. Several of the Association’s members are expert table tennis players!

“I travel with the US Team generally, said Grant Li, one of the Association’s expert players. Sometimes I play junior tournaments outside of the US and sometimes I play adult tournaments.”

At the Association you can learn everything from how to grip the paddle to how to spin the ball on a hit. However, this is a sport that takes practice, and does not come easily for everyone.

“They make it look easy, backhand to forehand, but it takes a lot of practice and training to get to the point where you can do that consistently,” said Cavicchio.

To attack your opponent, you can use either loop, chop, or lob shots. Over time, many table tennis players even discover new shots to attack their opponents!

“You can hit the ball from any angle, said Li. You can do a lot of trick shots too. There is just so much fun to be discovered in table tennis.”

Before it is too late, test your table tennis skills at the RI Table Tennis Association ! And as a first-timer, you can even play for free on Thursdays. Now that is what I call a good deal.