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This page last updated:
Monday, March 5, 2007
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How to play... table tennis
Duncan gets to grips with table tennis, unfortunately his bat is the wrong way round! (7BD0213514) Pictures: Ben Davis
Our entertainments reporter tries out a new activity. This time, Duncan Hall visits Yaxley Table Tennis Club.
Pretty much from the first day we were introduced to football at infants school I knew all this running about and chasing round globes in sub-zero temperatures was not for me.
But there was always one sport I actually quite enjoyed – table tennis.
It always had a lot of things in its favour but if I had to break it down the main ones were:
1) It was indoors, so none of that pesky messing around in the mud and wind and cold;
2) We didn't have to wear the ridiculous sports gear to play it and
3) I could actually hit the ball as any opponent who tried to whack it into next week generally ended up missing the table.
It has been a long while since I last played though, so I wondered if I would spend most of my two hours with the Yaxley Table Tennis Club watching the ball scoot past me.
The club has five tables, making it one of the best-equipped in the area.
As I helped long-time member Vic Tomlinson set up four of them for that afternoon's session he told me the club itself had been going for about 15 years, having initially met in Peterborough at a premises in Rock Road before rising rents forced them out to Yaxley Public Hall, two years ago.
The group itself has two league players, of which Vic is one, with players' ages ranging up to their oldest player 83-year-old Eric Layton, who only retired from the leagues last year to give the others a chance.
I started off playing in a doubles session with Vic, and fellow members Fred Pearmund and Alan Eaves.
As Alan confided in me, table tennis has changed over the years, in much the same way as golf and tennis, with the way bats are constructed and lined. Now bats are layered with a variety of special rubber surfaces which can make the ball spin and swing whichever way the player wants it to.
It was only after a handful of games that Vic pointed out I was holding my bat the wrong way round, as each side had different rubber on it – the red, best used for forearm shots, gave the ball more bounce while the black, best for backhand, slowed it down a little.
My game improved in leaps and bounds after that – although I still had problems finding the end of the table.
The only exception was when Ben, our photographer, was perched at one end trying to get an arty shot – then I had no problems hitting him!
As the session went on, Vic helped me open up my forehand a little to stop me automatically paddling the ball back with my backhand, and another member Jan Groves showed me how to add a little basic spin to my shots to try and out-fox my opponents.
Although you might think something such as table tennis would be quite a gentle sport everyone was soon sweating.
Like bigger-scale racket sports, one of the aims is to try to get your opponent to move as much as possible so you can score points, with tricky shots when they are looking the other way – so it was important to be on your toes, and occasionally push your partner out of the way when you were trying to go for your shot in a doubles game.
All the club's games were played to the old 21-point system, rather than the 11 points used in competition today, meaning the games were a bit longer and could be fought a little harder. For my team, it was always the aim to get to at least double figures to save face!
Much of the time though I enjoyed a knockabout with the other members, and there was no keeping score, making it more of a sociable activity than a competition – something underlined by the break for tea in the middle.
Vic said: "We do play matches on Monday nights, but there is no pressure for everyone to play them. We just want people to come down and try it out."
And it would be hard to find a more welcoming atmosphere. I think it's time to restart the league with my dad on our dining room table again . . .
Why do it ...
As Fred told me it is a good way to get your heart going, but without getting exhausted at the same time.
Like most groups, it gets as competitive as you want it to get – most players are there to have fun and socialise, and they are happy to help newcomers brush up their skills.
What you need...
Trainers, T-shirt and tracksuit, or even shorts if you are really going for it. This isn't something you can do in your suit as you do work up a sweat.
The club has plenty of bats and balls, as well as the tables and nets, although many players did bring their own bats.
What it costs...
The club costs £2 per session, plus 20p to cover the costs of the tea. Under-16s can take part for £1. Anyone interested in coming along will get their first session free to try it
out.
Where to go...
Yaxley Table Tennis Club meets at Yaxley Public Hall, in Back Lane, Yaxley, on Thursday nights between 7pm and 10pm, and for an adults-only session on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm.
More info...
Call Vic Tomlinson on 01733 764980.
Details correct at 16/02/07.