No Table - No Problem!
By Russell S. Jordan (From Nov/Dec 1999 USA Table Tennis Magazine)

80,000 kids participating in table tennis as a part of their school curriculum ... 30,000 kids in four different states, personally introduced to the sport by Newgy Industries Representatives ... 6,000 or more participants in each of the last two Pong-Master School Challenge Table Tennis Tournaments ... Over 200 different elementary physical education teachers in 20 different states teaching the Newgy table tennis curriculum ... Over 200,000 travel miles logged in promoting the sport during the past two years ... Whew!

These numbers were attained through a grassroots program developed by Newgy Industries, Inc. This grassroots development effort focuses on introducing table tennis into the physical education classrooms of America's elementary schools.

In August of 1997, Joseph E. Newgarden, Jr., President of Newgy Industries, retained the services of Barney D. Reed to formulate and lead a table tennis promotional effort. By adapting a school visitation effort that he had used while coaching in Sweden, Reed developed a table tennis promotional effort that has been completely embraced by the U.S. Educational System. His hook - table tennis without tables.

The program developed by Reed for Newgy consists of "off table" activities that allow children to develop basic striking skills useful in all sports. By moving the sport "off table" Mr. Reed found that most teachers became interested and responsive in teaching table tennis because striking skills are a basic component of most elementary physical education curriculums. This fact was never more apparent than at the 1998 Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Conference held on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University. Newgy Industries presented its Elementary Striking Skills Curriculum to a forum of nearly 200 physical educators, with nearly all of the attendees taking home a copy of the curriculum. From this one conference alone, Newgy received invitations to present its striking skills program in over 80 schools throughout the state of Tennessee. Newgy was also invited to perform teacher in-services for Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis area teachers.

The Newgy Program is simple. Teachers teach their students ball control skills that lead the kids to the adult sport of table tennis. The program uses a three-tiered progression in developing students' skills.

After learning the shakehands grip and simple ball control exercises, students first begin by working on grip and stroke practice while sitting on the floor. They work in pairs, controlling forehand and backhand strokes for short distances across the floor. In the beginning stages, one partner rolls the ball about five feet across the floor to his waiting partner, who strikes forehand and backhand strokes in a controlled manner to his partner.

Second, from rolling the ball on the floor, the partners move to standing. While standing they practice dropping and striking the ball to their partners. From here they move to striking the ball against the wall. It is here that they begin to incorporate a succession of shots by playing the ball after it rebounds from the wall.

After students move through the sitting and standing striking skills, they advance to fun and challenging "play stations." These stations are designed to be fun arcade-like skill areas that allow the students to experience further development and understanding of ball control. Students play in such stations as "Foursquare Pong," where they play a traditional foursquare game using their ping-pong rackets and balls. Another such station is "Target Pong," where the students drop and strike ping-pong balls at targets set up a short distance away.

The program is uniquely designed in that it allows teachers to teach the basics of the sport without any previous experience in table tennis. A majority of the skills emphasized in this program focus on development without using a table tennis table. This allows children to participate in the sport on a level that encourages developmentally appropriate learning. Further, the program allows teachers to teach the basics of the sport without having to purchase expensive, space-occupying equipment.

The Newgy Program provides a solid foundation for table tennis development because it provides physical educators with instructional methods that complement their teaching needs. The USATT has contacted Newgy about working together to promote this program on the national level. With a little luck and much hard work, the future of table tennis in America will greatly improve. Stay tuned!