2024 Coach of the Year Awards
by USA Table Tennis
Colorado Springs, CO – January 31, 2025 – USA Table Tennis is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 USATT Coach of the Year Awards. These outstanding coaches have demonstrated exceptional skills, dedication, and passion for the sport, helping to elevate table tennis in the United States to new heights.
National Coach of the Year – Mark Hazinski
U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach
"It’s a real honor to be selected for the National Coach of the year award! It’s been very special for me to work with the National team over the past few years and I look forward to continue helping the athletes achieve the best results in international competitions in preparation for LA2028."
Coaching Achievements:
At the 2024 Pan American Championships, the US men’s team, led by coach Mark Hazinski, clinched first place, achieving the best U.S. men's team result in the history of the Pan Am Championships. At the 2024 Pan American Youth Championships his team secured third place in the U-19 boys team event. In addition to his successes in the Pan Am Region, Hazinski coached American table tennis player Kanak Jha at the Paris 2024 Olympic games when Jha advanced to the round of 16 in the Olympics, marking the furthest any U.S. male has ever reached in the event.
"I feel the men’s national team has really made great progress over the past year. Winning the men’s team event at the Pan American Championships last year really showed the improvements the team is making with camaraderie and supporting each other."
National Coach of the Year – Huijing Wang
U.S. Junior National Team Coach
"It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the championship level. The table tennis level of American teenagers is still far behind the world level. All table tennis coaches, mainly USATT coaches, need to have higher goals and to make breakthroughs. Hope we all continue to work hard to achieve higher level of success. I also want to help USATT do some more meaningful work."
Coaching Achievements:
In 2024, current Junior National Team Coach Huijing Wang achieved notable success leading the U15 Girls’ U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal victory at the Pan American Youth Championships. The team was highlighted by Irene Yeoh, Abigail Yu, Carmen Yu, and Mandy Yu. At the same event, the U15 girls secured first place in singles, and mixed doubles events, and achieved second place in the doubles category. The event was clear showcase of Wang’s ability to bring out the best play from her young athletes and distinguished herself as one of the top coaches in the United States.
Mark Nordby Developmental Coach of the Year – Judy Hugh
Coach, Lily Yip Table Tennis Center
"I'm very grateful to receive this award, but it just makes me happy being able to see my students improve, and watch them grow, not only as table tennis players, but as people, too."
Coaching Achievements:
Judy Hugh from LYTTC has contributed significantly to the development of junior players, producing many top competitors, including the nation's #1 U11 boy Max Mouchinski and also made the Pan American Junior National Team. William Feng, another promising young athlete under Hughs guidence, ranked #1 in the U15 Boys National Team Trials Part 1, secured the #2 spot for the Pan American Junior National Team. Over the course of 2024, Hugh several other successful young athletes, including Jayden Dong, Ishaan Chathlani, and Rina Xin, who won 1st place in their respective divisions at the 2024 North American Teams Championships.
"It's never an easy task to be the best, but with hard work, resilience and willpower, anything is possible and as long as they put it all out there and never give up, they will succeed."
Mark Nordby Developmental Coach of the Year – Qian Qianli
Coach, Table Tennis America
"As a coach, I must adjust strategies, tactics, and even mental approaches based on different players. It is crucial to simplify complex tactics so that players can easily understand and apply them. As a match progresses, a coach must make tactical adjustments based on the situation. Table tennis matches are highly unpredictable, and players often experience moments of doubt. The coach must instill confidence and ensure that players execute strategies with determination. Gaining players’ trust is crucial, and this trust must be built through regular training and countless competitions. During matches, a coach is not only responsible for tactical guidance but must also provide immediate technical explanations to help players handle technical issues that arise during play. Over time, when a deep level of trust is established between the coach and the player, the athlete will be able to unlock their full potential."
"From a coach’s perspective, a player’s success is not just measured by wins and losses but also by their psychological resilience, technical breakthroughs, and tactical understanding. These aspects require continuous effort in daily training. A coach must have the ability to help players continuously improve their skills, laying a solid foundation for their future development."
Coaching Achievements:
Qian Qianli, a coach from Table Tennis America, has been instrumental in the success of several top junior and senior players. Qianli guided Irene Yeoh to qualify for the U.S. National Team in multiple age categories, including U13, U15, U17, and U19 in 2024. Under Qianli's coaching, Yeoh won the U13 Girls’ Championship at both the U.S. National Championships and the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco II. In addition to coaching Irene Yeoh, Qianli has also achieved notable successes with other players. For instance, Qianli coached Lily Zhang to victory in the Women’s Singles Championship at the 2024 WTT Feeder Manchester, securing the highest world ranking among U.S. women and earning early qualification for the 2024 Olympic Team. Furthermore, Qianli assisted Sally Moyland at the Olympic Team Trials, where Moyland secured the position of first alternate. These accomplishments highlight coach Qianli's broad impact and expertise in developing table tennis talents across the country.
"I am incredibly excited and honored to receive this award today. This honor does not belong to me alone but also to my TTA team, family, and friends who have always supported me. Thank you for pushing me to constantly challenge myself and break new limits. In the future, I will continue to work hard, improve my coaching skills, and contribute to the sport of table tennis. I hope more people will join this sport and experience its beauty and excitement! Thank you all!"
National Paralympic Coach of the Year – Mitch Seidenfeld
U.S. Para National Team Head Coach
"This past year was filled with more emotion than I usually experience while coaching the U.S. Para team. My old teammate and our most experienced player, Tahl Leibovitz, competed in his seventh Paralympics. Jenson Van Emburgh had a very successful lead-up to the Paralympics before falling just short in Paris. And, of course, the highlight was getting to experience my son, Ian, win a bronze medal in Paris to go along with the gold medal he won in Tokyo. It was really great to have my entire family cheering on Ian and our entire team in Paris."
Coaching Achievements:
In 2024, Mitch Seidenfeld, the National Team Coach for the Para Team, accomplished a significant milestone by coaching Ian Seidenfeld to a second Paralympic medal. The father-son duo secured a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. This achievement underscores Mitch Seidenfeld's ability to replicate success with his exceptional coaching skills and dedication to the Para National Team. Also at Paris 2024, Ian Seidenfeld presented the prestigious Order of Ikkos to his father and coach, Mitch Seidenfeld. The Order of Ikkos is awarded to an important coach or supporter along their journey for all of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic medalists.
Para Developmental Coach of the Year – Vlad Farcas
U.S. Para National Team Coach
"I am truly honored to receive the Para Developmental Coach of the Year award. The growth of para table tennis, especially at the youth level in the U.S., is something I deeply care about and am incredibly passionate about. This recognition means so much to me, and I’m grateful to be part of this journey, helping our athletes reach their potential and elevate the sport to new heights."
Coaching Achievements:
Highly accomplished as a coach in 2024, Vlad Farcas has guided Jenson Van Emburgh to Singles Gold Medal victories in multiple international events, including the ITTF Spanish Open, ITTF Montenegro Open, ITTF Slovenia Open, and ITTF US Open. Additionally, he coached Samuel Altshuler and Logan Watson to a Singles Silver Medal at the ITTF Brazil Open. Currently, Farcas is coaching at a Para National Training Center in Charlotte, NC, where his primary achievement in 2024 was developing and training four promising para-athletes.
"I'm incredibly proud of the work and development our para team achieved this year. Our younger athletes are stepping up at the Pan American level and showing they’re ready to compete on the world stage. In 2024, we saw tremendous improvements driven by their dedication, discipline, and countless hours of hard training. Their commitment inspires me every day, and I’m excited for what’s ahead."
Please join us in celebrating the dedication and hard work of these exceptional coaches. Their commitment to the sport and their athletes is inspiring, and their recognition is well-deserved.
*Candidate selection requirements for the Doc Counsilman Science Award and the Volunteer Coach of the Year Award were not met during the 2024 nomination process.
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