Club of the Month: Milwaukee TTC

By Linda Leaf

The Milwaukee TTC. Photo by Mike Bernhard ©2003.

This man is a perfect example of the old saying that "you can’t judge a book by its cover." Down to his glasses, he has a "Clark Kent" appearance. However, behind that mild manner and polite exterior is a skilled and determined table tennis player. His name is Mike Bartl, and he is a leader, a builder, and an inspiration.

Mike came to the U.S. from his native Salach, Germany (near Stuttgart) in 1998 to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After settling into his academic work, Mike was amazed to discover that there was no adequate outlet for his table tennis avocation (he was a member of the 1986 German National Youth Championship team!).

And this is how one person can make a significant and lasting difference (something more people should try). At first, Mike was very low-key about his skill and love for table tennis. Instead of just whining, he researched, plotted, and made contacts – and his enthusiasm and determination were contagious. Although some supporters have yet to touch a table tennis paddle, they realized it was better to say, "Yes" to Mike than keep hiding from him. Persistence sometimes pays off!

Mike Bartl. Photo by Mike Bernhard ©2003.

Mike teamed up with Dr. T.J. Wang, the club’s faculty advisor, and within two years, built the successful Table Tennis Club at UWM – an urban university with strong emphasis on community service, outreach, and diversity. The TTC is the largest club in Wisconsin and its tournaments draw participants from all over the Midwest. These participants reflect the rainbow of the human spectrum and demonstrate how Mike’s creative leadership has made a difference in Milwaukee and the Midwest.

As a sport, table tennis supports and promotes entertainment, athletic competition, and physical fitness. But it has other dynamic characteristics as well. For example, table tennis:

• Supports racial/religious diversity and interaction;

• Serves as an inter-generational magnet (in the TTC@UWM, ages range from 8 through 73);

• Is size- and gender-neutral. It is not uncommon to see a 300 lb. male defeated by a 100 lb. female. Or, an 8-year-old child humbly "paddle spank" a 30-year-old adult;

• Is international;

• Has cost-benefit comparisons with other sports that are awesome;

• Is very popular: table tennis is second only to soccer in participation!

Many table tennis enthusiasts have contributed their time and energy to help build a strong table tennis community in Wisconsin through the TTC@UWM. Although he has stepped down as club president and may be leaving the university, Mike will likely do very well in his next undertaking if the past is any predictor of the future.

Under its new president, Mike Bernhard, the TTC@UWM has committed itself to making Mike’s contributions yield additional dividends. Tournaments will be more frequent and they will be larger. On May 24th, the club will host Wisconsin’s first sanctioned tournament in 10 years. The TTC@UWM will also stress the recruitment of new youth and senior members, and promote a new emphasis on the health benefits of the table tennis routine (which can be a very CHALLENGING workout!).

According to Donald Winze, Wisconsin State-level Certified Coach: "The TTC@UWM has established real legitimacy to the sport of table tennis in the Midwest. The club is deeply involved in the community by conducting youth training clinics, tournaments, and is scheduled to become a catalyst for interscholastic competition. The club is likely to serve as model for other colleges and universities to follow so they can adopt table tennis in their programs."

For information about the TTC@UWM and its tournaments, check out the club’s website: www.uwm.edu/StudentOrg/pingpong.