Club of the Month: North Alabama TTC

By Michael Wetzel

Photo by Juan Acosta copyright 2001.

With strong organization and leadership, the North Alabama Table Tennis Club in Huntsville, Alabama, has blossomed into one of the top clubs in the Southeast. Formed in 1983 under the direction of Bill Mobley, David Wilder and Dean Thomas, the club now possesses 14 Butterfly Europa tables, 25 barriers and two playing facilities. No, there are no Olympians or national champions who call the club home. The NATTC focuses on having fun. The 50 or so active club members who meet Thursday nights for three hours enjoy the competition and fellowship. With players ranging from 2050 to unrated grandmothers, the club runs an organized league under the direction of John Lewis. The popular format pits players of similar playing ability in round-robin competition. The night’s winner of a group will move to a more advanced group the following week. The player with the fewest wins drops to a lower table.

In addition to competitive play at the club, the NATTC has found plenty of success running tournaments. It has played host to the Alabama State Championships annually since 1984. Many of those state champs are NATTC card-carrying members. Don Gaither has won the state title 16 times, Ralph Kissel 3, and Jungki Lee 2. Club President Ernesto Kawamoto will be defending his 2000 state crown on his home court, April 21. Alabama junior champion and club member David Landry, 14, continues to hone his skills as one of the top young juniors in the Southeast.

North Alabama Officers, L-R: First Vice President John Lewis; Second Vice President Michael Wetzel; President Ernesto Kawamoto; Treasurer Dean Thomas. Not shown: Secretary Walt Chenault. Photo by Juan Acosta copyright 2001.

In 1992, club officers Walt Chenault and Michael Wetzel began the now-popular Decatur Open. It has grown into one of the top two-star tournaments in the nation. With the help of generous sponsors, the tournament provides all entrants with free t-shirts, Pepsi, pizza and door prizes. Two Olympians are counted among the tournament’s winners. The NATTC also is active in its community, promoting the sport of table tennis and enriching the lives of the local citizenry. The NATTC often helps local youth and church groups run tournaments. The club also runs clinics and has given numerous exhibitions. In 1989, Gaither and Kissel put on a five-minute show before 3,200 at halftime of a high school championship basketball game. In the past decade, the club has given more than $1,500 to local charities including United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Meals on Wheels. The NATTC has promoted the sport with shirts, pins and bumper stickers with the club logo.

When the Olympics came to Atlanta in 1996, three club members - Chip Patton, Wetzel and Kawamoto – served as volunteers. In 1997, the club took its message "on-line" when Patton established the club’s website (www.nattc.com). Club activities, tournament results and state history dominate the site. Anthony Dang now serves as webmaster. In 2000, the NATTC received Gold and Bronze "Club Medals" from tabletennis.about.com for court size and number of tables. The club continues to grow and prosper, in part thanks to a close working relationship with the Huntsville Recreation Services and Landscape Management Department and Decatur Parks and Recreation. The city departments provide the Brahan Spring Recreation Center’s gym and Aquadome for club activities. This allows the club to keep its fees low. Annual membership is $36 for adults, $18 for students and $50 for families. Visitors play for free.