Club of the Month: Gwinnett TTC

By Jon Gustavson

The Gwinnett Table Tennis Club is less than a year old. It is located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, at Rhodes Jordan Park Community Center. During its brief existence Gwinnett Table Tennis has had an eight-week tournament series, a USATT League, begun group training, and moved from one table in a basement to five Butterfly Europa tables in a gym.

The table tennis program began as a USATT League. Many of the first members welcomed a place to play where they could go without having to fight Atlanta traffic. In a very short time it was clear that the club had outgrown the now two tables in a basement. An all-out search for a new location began. The searching paid off when Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation came through with a great location, five brand new tables, and their full support for a new Gwinnett table tennis program.

From the beginning an emphasis has been placed on player development. A training program began in October 2006 that allowed new players to learn the basics, with experienced players to practice with. It has been a success because of the cooperation of players working and helping each other.

Competition started with the USATT League. Next came a mini-tournament series. The popularity of the tournament series led to dropping “mini” from the name. The series brought in some of the best players in the Atlanta area and allowed new players to participate in their first tournament. A few weeks later, the first ever Potluck Team Tournament was held. Each team had a representative in each division and teams were drawn from a hat. 

The Gwinnett club has gotten off to a great start. Training and competition, in a relaxed atmosphere, with the excitement of a new and growing club, make for a great place to play.