STIGA Canadian Junior Open on the ITTF World Junior Circuit

Edmonton, Canada · Aug. 28-31, 2003

By Lily Yip 

It was my pleasure to work with the U.S. Junior and Cadet Teams at the recent ITTF Junior Circuit Tournament held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada this past August.  All the junior players were wonderful and they made me feel so young, as if I were one of the players. We all worked well together, and displayed a lot of team spirit and camaraderie. Everyone supported everyone else in all the matches, no matter which division they were in.  The Cadets supported the Juniors and the Juniors supported the Cadets.

Dennis Davis and I were the only two coaches, so we could not coach every player during the tournament, so some of the matches were coached by the players themselves.

Adam Hugh coached the junior boys against the Korean number two team and they won 3-2.  Mark, Han and Misha and the whole Junior and Cadet girls teams gave Adam full support during his singles semifinal match.

All the girls – Whitney, Kathy, Jackie and Sophie – showed great fight in their matches, never once did I see them give up.

Mark Hazinski and Han Xiao not only played well but showed great sportsmanship throughout their matches.  I remember one match that Mark played where the other player must have gotten a least eight nets during one game.  Mark never complained and kept playing with great concentration.

This is the first time our juniors defeated the Koreans in Team competition.  Adam and Misha defeated the Korean number two team on their way to a bronze medal in the Cadet doubles and team events.  Judy and Lani also took one point against the Korean number one Team in the final of the team event.

Judy and Lani played very well in doubles and won a bronze medal in that event.

I am also so proud of Judy for her wonderful comebacks in the singles, being down 8-10 in the fifth game of the semifinals to the Korean #2 player and then defeating the Canadian #1 player in the final, 3-0.

I am very proud of our Junior and Cadet Teams.  I believe this new generation is the best ever.