Junior of the Month: Stephanie Shih

photo by Gerry Chua (2005)

By Wallace Liu

When she was six, Stephanie Shih’s grandfather would nag her persistently, urging her to start playing table tennis. After all, her family were fans of the sport, with several members being players themselves. Stephanie, however, remained stubborn. She was adamant that they provide her with better reason than family pride. Moreover, she had dreams of competing in another sport, basketball. One fateful day, her dad Santos asked her to accompany and watch him in a tournament. Eleven year old Stephanie relented and, after witnessing Whitney Ping baffle and devastate her father on the table, took to the table tennis idea quite agreeably.

She may be among the smallest of the American girls, but Stephanie Shih’s on-court game and presence has turned her into a prominent junior. Powered by a pressing offense and an immense will, she has earned numerous accolades in recent years, including a role on the U.S. Girls Team. She reached the semifinals of both Women’s U22 and Mixed Doubles (with Shao Yu) at the 2005 Nationals. Currently ranked in the top five junior girls in the nation, she was previously number two among all North American cadets.

Stephanie appreciates the people who have supported her. Her coach, Hui Yuan Liu, has displayed patience and faith while motivating her. Her playing partner, Gao Yanjun, has been working hard with her over the past few months— and she feels indebted to Ma Kaixuan, who has helped to further develop her potential. Stephanie also credits Lily Yip and Emilia Gheorghe, the Cadet Girls’ coach, for providing direction and guidance. Most important though, is Stephanie’s dad, who supports her through it all. Outside of occasional disagreements, Stephanie is very motivated to do well for him.

She currently trains at the New York Table Tennis Club, roughly four days a week. In training, Stephanie strives to “connect the dots” in her game. Though she may look strong in certain areas during practice, she admits she has trouble putting everything together in matches. She also works hard on her finesse game, improving her touch and her ability to adjust. She trains with passion for the sport, with anticipation of the adrenaline rush she relishes during tournaments, and with the hope of being an Olympian one day.

Hard work and accomplishments aside, Stephanie appreciates the friendships and relationships she has developed within table tennis. A popular world sport, table tennis links people across language and cultural barriers. Stephanie’s experience around the country and internationally has gained her valuable friendships, enriching her life.

Beyond table tennis, Stephanie participates on her school track team. She also enjoys following the Yankees, watching movies, hanging out with her friends, listening to music, and “just wreaking havoc in general”, as she often does to her table tennis opponents.