News release: January 19th 2013 (Updated June 2013)
for immediate release

BETHANY HOSTS NEW  CONNECTICUT TT ASSOCIATION CLUB


Bethany Parks and Recreation Department, and Coach Dave Strang's NETTA/ CT. Table Tennis Association have joined together to establish the New Haven/Waterbury Table Tennis Club at Bethany to provide weekly recreational and competitive play and instruction for players of all ages and skill levels.

Table Tennis (also called 'Ping-Pong) is the world's most popular
individual Olympic sport – second only to Soccer in worldwide
participation – where strategy and individual technique count more
than strength, height or age.

   The initial club meeting will be on Sunday January 27th at 2:30pm
in the Town Hall Gymnasium at 40 Peck Rd.   (Peck Rd. is just off
Amity Rd – rte 63 in Bethany, 10 mi. north of New Haven, & 12
mi. south of Waterbury).As of mid-JUNE, play is Sun 6:30-10:30pm

    Club Director and Coach Dave Strang of Prospect, many time
Connecticut State Champion in Men's and Senior Men's Singles and
Doubles, and a former National Collegiate finalist, will be joined by
top Junior, Senior and Women's single's players from his club in
Fairfield, who will give demonstrations, play challengers and give
free pointers, followed by open club play and mini-tournaments where players will be matched with players of similar experience and skill.

     Open club Play will continue on Sundays, with additional open play, leagues or clinics on a weekday evening possible later in 2013 - based on participant interest.

     Drop in play on Sundays will cost $10 per participant for a  full
3-4 hour playing session, with reduced fees for players only playing
the first or last hour of each session or making a pre-paid advance
commitment.

The club will feature 6 professional Table Tennis Tables and a 'Newgy'
Table Tennis Robot available for special practice or instruction.

Players may bring their own Rackets or borrow or buy them at the club meetings.

    Spectators are welcome for any regular Sunday club meeting,
including the special Jan 27th club kick-off event, without charge.

  More information is available by calling Coach Dave at (203) 514 –
0757 (recorded message ) or (203) 660-1363 (home/office) or at
realtabletennis.NET. or e-mail nettadave@gmail.com

Now Playing: New Playing Fees for 2013

A modified Playing fee structure will start in mid-January for play at  Fairfield and the new New Haven/Waterbury TTC at Bethany.

The new single playing session fee will be $10 per player, reflecting inflation, costs for other entertainment and recreational activities,  and the current drop-in playing cost at other comparible quality table tennis clubs in the Tri-state area. (Clubs in NYC are often MUCH more expensive, sometimes even for smaller playing courts and shorter time periods)

Fairfield Club fees were originally established at $7 per visit in 1995 when that was a common  Movie admission price, and of course, most other prices for necessities, or entertainment, were MUCH lower than they are today.  

But regular players are encouraged to save time and money by pre-paying with options like 3 visits for $25, reducing the cost to slightly over $8 per session. 

Other options are being considered as well, such as weekly or monthy payment options, which might reduce the the cost (somewhat) more for players who regularly play on consequetive club days the same week, or who consistantly play every week on the same day. or arrangements for family or short duration play, particularly for new, unrated players.

Participation levels, player ages and incomes and initial participation levels at the new club location in Bethany will help determine the possible variety of pre-payment discount options they maybe offered either to everyone, or on a case-by-case basis at Club director Strang's discretion. 

But the '3 for $25' is recommended for most players at this time, though players are also welcome to 'pay as they go' at $10 per visit, hopefully with correct change as often as you can remember to bring it.  

 

 

 

 

Fairfield Club resumes after Storm cuts power to SR.Center Gym

The power has been restored after Storm Sam, allowing us to resume regular Thusday and Saturday play after Nov 5th.

While much of the Beach area of Fairfield had serious flooding damage, the Senior Center and it's Gym where we play, while technically within the flood evacuation zone that starts at Old Post Road, is far enough and a bit higher than the coastal area, spareing it from any flooding. 

While many club players were also out of power for most of the week, a nuber did call the club info number (203) 292-0717 to check on the status of play and our schedule.

In addition to our usual make-up day earlier on Thanksgiving week, look for us to make up the storm canceled days soon, likely on Tuesday nights after election day, when the Gym is a town voting site.

These make-up/ bonus playing nights will be announced at the phone message number and during the previous regular Thursday or Saturday session and may not be listed here.

Be sure I have your current E-mail address, and a IM capable Cell phone number if you have one, as these methods may sometimes be used to announce rescheduled or cancelled sessions, as rare as they usually are.

 E-mail me at nettadave @ Gmail.com w/ name/town/e-mail/ phone, and IM me with that info from your Cell phone too - if you can-  to my cell phone at (203) 668-1945.

 

November 2012 - FF players score in NY event

Congratulations to two of our Fairfield TTC regulars who won rating and age events at the recent Westchester NY Tournament.

Rich Dewitt won the U-2200 and over 40 Singles events.

Christine Lockwood won the under 2050 event, and achieved her first rating over 2000 (2009) in the process, joining our FF TTC top player list.

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Current top 5 rated active FAIRFIELD TTC PLAYERS 11/01/2012:

Rich Dewitt 2219

Adis Medunajin 2132

David Strang 2070

Krzysztof Rydzik 2059

Christine Lockwood 2009

 

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.