Now Playing: Players continue improvement through the summer

The summer of 2012 saw very active club play, with most of the regular players showing improved playing levels. This was particularly noticed by returning players in the fall, who saw a drop in there competitiveness with players they previously beat.

Particularly noticed was the rapid improvement of (the original College group) players Ray and Sam, and 13 year old Adam Sahar, who earned a 1408 rating after joining the club earlier this year.

Adam has shown even better gains in club play since the Tournament, becoming competitive with all the club's best players, even taking games from some of the top 5 club players.

 Besides his enthusiasm, his secrets have included being very coachable, according to club coach Dave Strang, and regular practice between club sessions on his home table with his father, and his Newgy Robot.

 

 

2012 News

Welcome New Players - Congrats to improved regulars in 2011/2012

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Recently improved players include most of the regulars at Fairfield, with Don F back to 1900+ recently, and  Adis M. around 2100+ on recent tournament results.

The crew from the local community colleges, some now graduated but remaining in the area have also been improving, both before and after help from fellow 20 something Emani's coaching, including Ray, Sam and Yanick.

It's remarkable what good young players are developing here in just the last couple years such as  Ray, Sam, Yanick,  who continue to improve with great playing form and his obvious love of the sport..

Rounding out the top local players include Douglas S. whose steady improvement over the last year to around 2100 level play has helped club coach and Director Dave Strang bring his game to near it's historic peak as well.

Nearly all the other regular players, too many to mention individually, are also showing impresive improvement, whether they are playing tournaments to earn the matching rating improvement or not.  

Just know that if you are just an occasional visitor to Fairfield, or are returning to regular play after an abcense, only part of your increased challenge in winning games will come from your rusty-ness.

Middletown News

 Update Jan 2nd 2012

For those of you curious about the status of Middletown: 

 Obviously it's discouraging that we were 'dark' throughout 2012. But I will make another - final - attempt soon to get permission to resume play this Winter - 2013, before turning attention to the possibility of other new locations for central Connecticut play.
(I already have made some preliminary investigation and inquiries
though a suitable, affordable and adequate site is a challenging quest)

As I've said before, having more complete contact info from central CT
players (via e-mail response) - especially your full name and home or
work locations (town) and phone numbers to associate with your e-mail
address would be helpful, either in my discussions with Middletown, or
in seeking and deciding on an alternative - which could be anywhere
from New Haven, to Meriden to Hartford or the Waterbury area -
depending on available facilities, and who responds to me - from which
towns - with more complete contact information.

 

Update_ November 2010-

We have suspended play in Middletown after 17 years, as of Spring 2010.  Please be advised, I am still attempting to resume play in Middletown, or at an alternate location elsewhere in Central Connecticut.  Your contact information is helpful to me in restoring Middletown, or convincing another location in Central CT to make their facility available. Please e-mail it to me, including name full phone number and work and home town info.

I am also interest in hearing from players suggesting potential new playing locations in Central CT, or in  Western CT between the Waterbury and Danbury areas. Hopefully Gym type rooms at least as large as the Fairfield Gym - about 65 by 55 ft. minimum, hopefully available 2 or more evening or weekend times per week for 3.5 or more hours at a modest cost. Please e-mail me before attempting to speak with any such organization on our behalf.

 Check back from time to time, and I will also try to contact those I can when any playing location related  news occurs in late 2010 or in 2011.

Thanks for your patience and encouragement, and any ideas about available playing facilities.  Please visit Fairfield if you can, Saturday afternoons if making it there on Thursday nights isn't feasable due to work schedules.

Fairfield is about an hour from Hartford, or a 45 minute drive from the Southern Waterbury or Meriden/Wallingford areas, or about 1/2 hour from New Haven, or the the Westrock tunnel of the parkway - rte 15 - almost 100% via highways except for the last mile from I-95 exit 21. 

 

Us Open videos and results available

Over 700 Players from North and South America, Europe Asia and Africa attended the US Open held this summer in Grand Rapids Michigan.

 

Videos of the key matches are available to stream here:

2010 Grand Rapids U.S. Open Video Stream

Results are available here:

http://www.usatt.org/tournaments/results.php 

Middletown Play suspended in late May.

Due to recent and  previously unforeseen developements involving the West School Gym that we have used at Riverview Hospital since 1993, our play has been halted as of May 21st 'until further notice'.

Club director Dave Strang is working on resolving  this, and will update the website homepage and phone messages, and communicate the news as widely as possible when we can resume play there (or elsewhere). This is only the second interuption of Middletown play in 17 years, and we hope it can be resolved as positively as the other one, a statewide issue over recreational activity liability that occured likely about 10 years ago.

If you'd like to be kept on a special updated Middletown TT contact list , please send me an e-mail to nettadave(remove this)@gmail.com with your contact information including full name, work/and or hometown location information and best afternoon and/or evening contact phone numbers. Also feel welcome to leave me a similar message at any of my listed voicemail numbers if that is convienient for you. (include 'Middletown 2010' in the subject line. of e-mails)

You might also include, or send me a separate e-mail note addressed To:  'Facility Administrator'  describing your interest in continued participation in our table tennis club activty along with any appropriate background like your age, general occupation, when you first joined with us and what our sport and Connecticut Table Tennis program like Middletown TTC has meant to you, your health etc..

That might help convince them that I, with your support, am providing CT. citizens a unique recreational sports opportunity you and many others value beyond basement ping-pong or the other more commonly available  recreational sports like Basketball  or  Soccer that with  appeal more limited to only the young, super-competitive or perfectly fit.

At the appropriate time I may print and mail, or forward these 'TT Testimonials' to the Riverview administration, and/or any potential alternative host facilities I can identify - if that seem appropriate at a later date. 

 Or I may post edited versions online with your private information removed and with  last names abreviated (like Dave S. - Prospect, CT) for your privacy. A friendly petition drive - perhaps an online one - might also be announced here - and via phone calls or e-mails to this new list - in the near future.

Thanks for your many prior messages of support and your patience while I work to resolve this situation positively. Sorry for the interuption of our weekly activity in Middletown.  Please Note that Fairfield play on Saturday afternoons and Thursday nights is NOT affected and you are invited to join us there in the meantime if you can. (Saturday afternoon Roadtrip ?!)

If enough of you do that on Saturdays, we might investigate a temporary Sunday session in Fairfield or elsewhere as well, to better accomidate more of you in this - hopefully - temporary situation.

2010 CT. Senior Games held May 16th

A field of 15 players , from just barely 50, to a returning 84 years young player, came to Middletown on a sunny Sunday in mid-May for the 2010 Connecticut Senior Games Table Tennis Championships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos @ http://members.tripod.com/netta_ct/SeniorsTTnews.htm

As usual, Players were grouped by age and gender, including 4 ladies competing for senior women's titles, and a group of 4 'barely' Seniors, including John Guzze of Kensington and  Middletown regulars Rene, Cesare and Chris, most competing for the first time in these games in the men's 50 to 54 category, 'vacated' this year by Previous champ Dave Strang moving up to the 55-59 category where he was joined by Steve Knotts.

Fairfield TTC was also well represented by players including Michael Lazerev, Lauren Olin and Jeff Von Kohorn.

More Veteran participants included Richard Castiglione who, now in the 70-74 group hasn't missed a Senior Games TT event in over 15 years, joined by John McCray and Trevor Prescod.

Francis Grimaldi was the most senior of the Seniors , in the 80-84 group.

Medal Results will be listed ASAP linked at :

 http://www.seniorgamesct.org/2010results.htm

 More photos are posted at: http://members.tripod.com/netta_ct/SeniorsTTnews.htm

 

 

 

2010 Senior Games scheduled

The 2010 Ct. senior Games Table Tennis events have been scheduled for Sunday May 16th at our regular Middletown playing site, with doors opening at 5:30pm for practice and check-in with play starting 15 to 30 minutes afterward. (please arrive by 5:45pm) 

Tournament play will continue on at least 4 of the clubs 12 tables during our regularly scheduled Sunday night playing session from 6:30 to 10pm. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged if at all possible to ensure your spot.  But walk-in registration may also be possible on a space available basis.  

Players who are 50 or older - as of Dec 31st 2010 - are eligible, including out-of-state guests, who may also qualify for nationals here. 

This event qualifies top finishers in each 5 year age bracket (50-54, 55-59, 60-64 etc) to the 2011 Senior Games Nationals in Houston. While competition may include some of our area's best players, especially in the youngest divisions, it is also a fun and friendly event for all ages with group play in singles and additional dbls events enduring multiple matches for every participant, regardless of outcome.

There are NO USATT fees, and results won't affect your rating.  More info available at: http://www.seniorgamesct.org/sports.htm

CT.TTA Players do Demo/Clinic Youth Clinic

 Three of the state's top players demonstrated Modern Table Tennis through exhibition matches and a mini-clinic early in 2010 for an enthusiastic group of kids in southern Connecticut.  The Greenwich Boys and Girls club hosted CT.TTA coach Dave Strang and his assistant coaches Adis Medunjanin and Mark Mosher on a cold Thursday afternoon.

  Mark and Adis began by demonstrating offensive and defensive strokes with commentary by Dave. Then they played an exhibition game with each other, followed by challenge games with the kids and staff. 

The demonstration portion ended with coach Dave and Adis playing a challenge game, and the afternoon ended with a min-clinic on 4 tables involving dozens of kids, the 3 coaches and the Newgy robot, a special hit with the youngest kids. 

Explosion rocks Middletown

The tragic recent gas explosion at the Electrical generation plant in Middletown made national news on Superbowl Sunday.  For TT players in Central Connecticut, it was also just around the corner past our twice weekly playing site in the school-west Gym at Riverview Hospital.

  Club director Dave Strang heard and felt the explosion almost 30 miles aways in his home west of Cheshire.  "It shook me slightly, and sounded like someone had slapped something against the side of my bedroom."

   On arrival to Middletown that evening, we were confronted with TV satelite trucks and a police roadblock at the bend in the road near 'Rushford Center' where Silver Street continues as River Road just before WMRD radio staion and is followed by the main, front entrance drive to Riverview Hospital.  

  A detour to the right up Silvermine road, and then a left turn towards the Hospital grounds rear entrance got about 10 players, into the Sunday session (during the Superbowl) but some had to explain where they were headed, and show ID to another policeman stationed at that back road before getting to the Gym.

 Since occasionally  high water blocks River road just past this spot, Middletown club players are encouraged to go to the dedicated M-T TTC page, and print the alternate map there, for use in case of flooding.