Senior Corner

May/June 2006
By Olga & Stan Kahan,

Co-Chairs, USATT Senior Committee

949-830-6699 (ph) • naf@berkeley.edu

After the hectic days at the 2006 U.S. Open Team Championships (March, 3-5) in Reno, NV, two members of the U.S. Women’s Team, Gao Jun and Crystal Huang, were escorted by LWV club coach Loc Bao Ngo to Laguna Woods, to follow up Lily Yip’s recommendation to pay a visit to the Club of the Month (Mar/Apr 2006).  These charming USATT top women athletes gave a first-class table tennis exhibition with a virtuosity of table tennis strokes, to the delight of the Laguna Woods Village club’s members, average age 71.  It was a wonderful gift given by young Olympic women to the mature table tennis enthusiasts.  We hope that such a fine gesture of community service by top table tennis athletes will also spread over to other senior communities.  This might spark an incentive among veteran recreational players to become more involved in table tennis and to take advantage of having professional training sessions by certified USATT coaches on a regular basis.

The National Senior Table Tennis Tournament Association (NSTTTA) will again run again the largest senior table tennis event in the country – the Mickeljohn North American Seniors (June 1-4) in Laguna Woods, California, with $16,000 monetary prizes and trophies in 33 age and rated events, sanctioned by the USATT. Hurry up and do not miss this tournament! (Contact them at Kunze@fea.net.)

The California Senior Games Association organizes the California Senior Games Championships (“CSGS”).  On June 17, table tennis players (50 years or older) will be competing in Advanced and Novice Divisions (Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles) in Pasadena Senior Center, Pasadena.  The Table Tennis Commissioner, Diego Schaaf, states that these California Games are dedicated to the recipients of the 2006 “Keep the Flame Alive” Award.  The first, second, and third place medalists will be qualified to compete for the 2007 National Senior Games, in Louisville, KY.

Do “Keep the Flame Alive”!