Senior Corner

November/December 2007
By Olga & Stan Kahan,

Co-Chairs, USATT Senior Committee

949-830-6699 (ph) • 949-240-7167 (fax)

natashafeingold@gmail.com

THE ONLY USATT WOMAN NATIONAL REFEREE
– LINDA HSING

This year, during the World Table Tennis Championships and at the Annual General Meeting of the ITTF in Zagreb, Bob Fox and Tim Boggan served as USATT’s delegates, Sheri Pittman attended as a member of the ITTF’s Board, and Rufford Harrison attended as a member of the ITTF’s Presidents Advisory Council. At this AGM, Tim Boggan was appointed to the Media Committee and Azmy Ibrahim to the Rules Committee. Olga Kahan, became a member of the ITTF Veteran’s Committee when the commission was elevated to a committee. Linda Hsing was appointed as a corresponding member of the Technical Committee.

As an international umpire and USATT National Referee, Linda has been active in table tennis for a long time. Linda Hsing also is the first woman to pass the advanced umpire exam in the U.S.A. and the first female referee for the US National Championships in 2005.

After her early retirement from a successful career as a mechanical engineer working at Boeing/Hughes/Rockwell, Linda has channeled her passion into Table Tennis which has been, “a love of her life” since her young years. “In the last 5 years, I have used my own resources to maintain the website, www.lapingpong.com, said Linda during the interview. “My website disseminates major local and U.S. tournament information and updated tournament photos.
“I used my resources to produce a DVD to train umpires according to the updated ITTF field of play procedure. I made a modern table tennis term translation list between Chinese and English. I hope it will help the communication between the Chinese and Western table tennis world.”

Moreover, Linda is also a USATT Certified State Coach. Actually, Linda Hsing will be the U.S. Nationals Referee for the USA Table Tennis National Championships on December 19-22, 2007 in Las Vegas.

We are very proud of you, Linda, our mentor and colleague!

IT‘S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE A CHAMPION
Senior table tennis activities have been developing rapidly during the last quarter of this year. As a part of the twentieth annual San Diego Senior Olympic Games, the table tennis tournament commissioned by Philip Van De Wiele (and hosted by the San Diego Senior Games Association) took place on September 23, in Balboa Park Activity Center.
These games were a qualifying event for the 2008 California State Senior Games Championships. The Official 2007 San Diego Senior Results Book will be published in January 2008. For more information about other qualifying events and senior games in California, please visit www.CaliforniaSeniorGames.com/events html

By the way, our mature but young in heart sport enthusiasts expect about 14,000 athletes over the age of 50 to come to the Bay Area in 2009. This will be the Senior Games you can’t afford to miss. According to the National Senior Games Association (NSGA), “The United States’ largest participating multi-sport makes its West Coast debut in the San Francisco Bay Area.” So reserve the date ( August 1-15, 2009) and don’t forget to qualify at the state level for table tennis in 2008. (for more information, please visit www.nsga.com)

IGNITE THE PASSION
The 21st year of the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, was successfully executed as part of the USATT table tennis tournament schedule October 8-11 2007. This year’s theme for the Huntsman World Senior Games was “Ignite the Passion” and it wonderfully captured its goal of health, camaraderie and competition. (See details in the next issue of the USATT Magazine).

The highlight and finale of Scheduled Senior events for 2007 is the first USA INTERNATIONAL VETERANS CHAMPIONSHIPS (IVC) which will take place in the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Hall C5, Las Vegas, Nevada – December 20 – 22, 2007.

The IVC is open to all interested players from the USA and overseas, aged 40 years and over or who will reach their 40th birthday during the year the event will be held.

The USA International Veterans Championships (IVC) is hosted by the USATT, in conjunction with the US Nationals. The tournament Hotel is the Riviera Hotel and Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd., South Las Vegas, NV 89109. Reservations – 800-634-6753 ; Rate - $49 per night ; group – USA Table Tennis. The entry deadline for the IVC is November 5, 2007. The IVC Reception will be held Friday, December 21,2007, in the Riviera Hotel. For IVC information please contact Dana Schnell, Event Director at programs@usatt.org , tel: 719-866-4583 X6 or Joyce Grooms, Administrative Director at admin@usatt.org , tel: 719-866-4583 X5, FAX 719-632-6071.

As this year is approaching to end, we wish you, our readers, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and we wish that you enjoy life to the fullest and also to thank all those fellow members who have succeeded to launch together this first USA International Veterans Championships. Special thanks to the USATT staff members namely, to Dana Schnell, Event Director, and Joyce Grooms, Administrative Director , to the IVC Tournament Director Craig Krum, to the IVC Referee Azmy Ibrahim, and to the IVC organizing committee members.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, IGNITED WITH PASSION!!!