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NCTTA
Newsletter The college table tennis season may be winding down, but you'd never guess it from this month's newsletter. It's jam-packed with all kinds of good stuff you'll want to check out. Like what the regions will be for next season. Or where the 2012 Championships are going to be held. Or the 2010-2011 superlative award winners. Or the 2011 Championships videos. And that's only half of the stuff inside. Read on for all this and more ... NCTTA 2011-2012 Region Breakdown Announced Whether the organization is Google, NASA, the NCAA or the U.S. Postal Service, things don’t stay the same very long these days. Just pick up the newspaper in your hometown, tune into CNN, visit one of the USA’s major airports or go to your friendly neighborhood supermarket to do some grocery shopping and you will notice changes happening almost daily. At NCTTA, we are talking change, and when all is said and done, believe it will be for the better. If you haven’t heard we are discussing ways to retool our 18 divisions and the qualification process leading up to the 2012 Championships. Beginning with the 2011-2012 competition season, divisions will be grouped into regions, with top teams from regional competition advancing to the Championships. (Read more about the reasons for this change in the March newsletter). We’re now pleased to announce the 6 regions for the 2011-2012 season and the assignments of divisions to those regions:
It was definitely a challenge to come up with what we think is the optimal region breakdown, and of course it’s impossible to please everyone. And there may be some changes yet to a few divisions and division names to keep things balanced and consistent. “We tried take several factors into account in forming the regions,” said Chris Wang, NCTTA Division Director Representative, who spearheaded the effort. Geographic distance of the schools in the region, number of schools in each region and overall strength of each region were all taken into account. “We even looked at the potential for future growth in each region,” says Wang. The task force looked at a variety of models and considered a number of different possibilities before settling on the current regions. “It was a balancing act,” Wang points out. “There’s no such thing as a perfect region breakdown, but in the end we have something we think will work well for next season.” We’re sure you’re all eager to know what the qualification rules will look like for next season. We’re still finalizing the details, so be sure to read next month's newsletter!NCTTA 2012 Championships Booked for Texas Sports attractions in the Lone Star State stretch from the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL to the Texas Rangers in Major League Baseball. Just added to the list: the 2012 College Table Tennis Championships. Not long after wrapping up the 2011 Championships in Minnesota, NCTTA leaders voted to select Plano, Texas as the site of the 2012 games in mid-April. Plano and New Orleans competed to host the big-time tournament. In case you don’t have a map or a clue, Plano is located about eight miles north of downtown Dallas. It is the home of 40,000-student Collin College, the home of the NJCAA men’s tennis championship. Plano may be familiar turf for longtime NCTTA players. Perennial NCTTA powerhouse Texas Wesleyan hosted the championship games in 2005 and 2006 in Fort Worth, Texas, also part of the Dallas metro area. “We had a great experience at Texas Wesleyan a few years back, and expect an equally strong welcome in nearby Plano, Texas,” says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. “We are excited to say let the games begin in Texas in 2012!” If you ever get bored at the NCTTA tourney in Plano, there’s much to do in the city of more than 222,000 people. The North Texas city is home to the South Fork ranch that was the place where the popular TV series “Dallas” was filmed back in the day. Plano hosts the largest hot air balloon show in Texas. There’s a wonderful art gallery at Collin College for art lovers to check out. Plano is also big on economic development, being home to 15 Fortune 500 companies. Many thanks to both Plano, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana for putting in solid bids. For more information about Plano, Texas, visit the Plano Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website or take time to read about the Plano bid on the NCTTA website. 2011 Superlative Award Winners Announced It was a great season of college table tennis with many great performances all year. But in the end a few stood above the rest:
Each winner will receive a Killerspin gift certificate. Be sure to check out the rest of the newsletter for profiles of many of these teams and individuals. Sponsor Corner
Dordt College: NCTTA Rookie Team of the Year A newcomer in the world of collegiate table tennis, Dordt College is making waves in Iowa in its rookie season. While the 1,300-student school in Sioux Center didn’t make it to the national championships in Minnesota in mid-April, folks at NCTTA headquarters are spotlighting the Dordt College team for a job well done. Recently, the NCTTA saluted Dordt with its Rookie Team of the Year award. Dordt plays in the Minnesota Division against stiff table tennis competition, including much-bigger schools like the University of Minnesota. “The Dordt players showed a great deal of progress and promise in year one,” says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. “We expect they will continue to shine in their second season.” Associated with the Christian Reformed Church, Dordt College was founded in 1955 and today “welcomes all students who are interested in a biblical Christ-centered education,” says the school’s website. The Iowa school is an hour’s drive from Sioux City, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its students come from 30 states, 13 nations and six Canadian provinces. We contacted Dordt table tennis team member Michael Gorter and the junior accounting and finance major was elated to receive the new award in recognition of their outstanding rookie season in Iowa. “We loved being part of the NCTTA this year,” says Gorter, who hails from Ridgewood, New Jersey. Valdosta State Road Warriors Play in Pensacola
So when Valdosta State University’s table tennis team recently traveled five-plus hours to It was another terrific event in late April sponsored by the club and its award-winning president LA Johnston. The avid table tennis player never tires of putting on activities to promote charities. This time, LA put on a top-notch tournament to benefit Pensacola’s Relay for Life, one of many activities across the USA to help combat cancer. Teams from Valdosta State, Florida State University and the University of West Florida were part of the table tennis action that weekend, with about three dozen players playing their favorite sport. Valdosta State came decked out with new uniforms featuring red shirts with Chinese letters on their backs. The VSU team arrived in Pensacola on a high note after recently being named the South Georgia school’s top club sport of the year.Lillian Yu: NCTTA Division Director of the Year
With four of the division’s seven teams ranked in the NCTTA Top 25, the division is perhaps the strongest in the land. The division’s top powerhouse is the University of Ottawa with its third-place finish in the men’s/coed team event at the 2011 Championships. All this success didn’t happen by accident. At NCTTA headquarters, we believe Lillian Yu, the director of the Eastern Canadian Division, deserves much of the credit for making her region among the very best. She’s worked hard and moved mountains since the division’s birth a little more than a year ago. “Lillian is one of those exciting individuals who just loves collegiate table tennis,” says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. “There’s no denying she’s good at what she does.” Colleges in Eastern Canada used to be part of the Upstate New York Division, but became a separate entity with Lillian Yu at the helm. Now an auditor in Canada, Lillian was a star Lillian has done much with little financial support from schools in Canada. NCTTA Connections Boost Miss. Senior Olympics Home court advantage is always a plus, no matter what the sport. A good case in point was in May when Oklahoma City, led by Kevin Durant’s 39 points, knocked off the Memphis Grizzlies on the Thunder’s home turf in the decisive Game 7 of their NBA series. Home court also didn’t hurt a bit for several in-state participants in the Mississippi Senior Olympics that wrapped up with a number of events like track & field and table tennis The events attracted about 300 senior athletes to various sites in Clinton, and other communities in metro Jackson in Central Mississippi. Some of the men and women ignored the $4 per gallon gas prices and drove from as far away as Missouri, Tennessee, and Louisiana to take part in the fun games in the Magnolia State. Again this year, there were plenty of NCTTA connections to the Mississippi Senior Olympics. Dixie Division Director Herb Bennett, who ran the table tennis tournament for seniors, also walked off with a gold medal for his 50-something age group. He got help from Mississippi College Table Tennis Captain Ken Qiu, who set up and put away the tables at Alumni Gym. That’s the university’s old basketball gym where the MC Choctaws’ 5th place nationally ranked team practices during the season. The Senior Games in Clinton were a nice tune-up for Bennett, who travels to Houston, Texas to compete in the 2011 National Senior Games in late June. Bennett, the longtime leader, architect and mentor of the University of Southern Mississippi table tennis team, still knows how to play his favorite sport. He’s made the 90-mile drive from Hattiesburg to Mississippi College many times before in recent years to run the NCTTA’s Dixie Division tournaments at the university’s Baptist Healthplex. Western Ontario: Most Improved Table Tennis Team Good news is happening all over campus for the University of Western Ontario. In early May, four Mustangs were good enough to get selected in the 2011 Canadian Football League draft. Around the same time, the university announced the three winners of its Western Humanitarian Awards for making a significant difference on campus and around the globe. The honors keep coming. Following the conclusion of the 2010-2011 competition season, NCTTA leaders recognized Western Ontario for having the most improved collegiate table tennis team in the USA and Canada. Last year, the award went to Florida State University. Three years ago, “our club was not even a sports team. It was part of the university campus clubs with two broken recreational tables and practices held once a week on the third floor of our community center. We averaged practice once a month and were barely considered a club,” Aga said. A table tennis lover and dedicated athlete, Aga wasn’t going to stand for the status quo “I was intent on turning table tennis not only into one of the biggest sports teams at Western, but to turn it into an official Mustang varsity sport.” Portland State Volunteers at Local Elementary School Who says community service is only for convicts? Certainly not NCTTA. As a 100% volunteer-based organization, we definitely understand the importance of giving back, contributing one’s time and effort for the benefit of others.
Portland State coach Sean O’Neill had been volunteering at an after school program where his daughter attends, when he decided to invite the “big kids” from Portland State over to help out. Although it’s a busy time of year on campus, with students completing various projects, studying for finals, and getting ready for summer internships, several students from Portland State managed to find time to volunteer. “We wanted to get kids introduced to table tennis so we could create awareness of the game,” says Shubham Chopra, President of the Portland State Table Tennis Club. Community service is definitely encouraged and appreciated at Portland State, but Chopra notes that “of the 25 odd sports and recreational clubs in Portland State University’s Campus Recreation program there are only about 4 clubs who have done any community service.” Well, we're proud to count Portland State table tennis among them. Kudos to the team for helping out! Sam Huang of Ottawa: Coach of Year For all the hard work to push the Ottawa's men’s/coed team to garner the NCTTA’s No. 3 ranking to end the 2010-2011 season, Ottawa’s Sam Huang was named coach of the year. It’s quite an honor, says Huang, who has served as club president for the past two years. The player/coach/manager returns again as president next season with one goal in mind. He’s not reaching for the stars. He believes Ottawa’s coed team and women’s team are well on their way to winning national championships. And it can happen for Ottawa in 2012, he says. Playing and losing close games to Texas Wesleyan at the 2011 Nationals in Minnesota was quite an experience for Ottawa. But this Ottawa club in the Eastern Canadian Division is a team on the rise. This summer, fall and next spring, they want to climb a few more notches. It’s only May, but Huang wishes the next few months fly by. “I really cannot wait to start next season,” he says. As for next year, Huang hopes to bolster the Ottawa team with the addition of one or two female players who are on the Canadian National team. His life doesn’t completely revolve around table tennis. A senior who is a biotechnology major, Sam is considering going into a medical-related field after earning his degree. He’s keeping an open mind on his future. Born in Beijing, China, Sam Huang immigrated to Canada at the age of 11. He first got interested in table tennis as boy in China. Sam also enjoys a good game of billiards. But table tennis on the NCTTA circuit is by far his favorite sport. “It’s a chance to meet new people who have a common interest,” he says. While NCTTA are delighted to say thanks to Sam Huang for a job well done at his school in Canada, the Ottawa coach returns the love. Sam says he really appreciates National Collegiate Table Tennis Association officials for lots of help along the way. Championships Photos and Videos Check out some of the great photos and videos from the 2011 Championships that are posted online:
We're still processing and uploading all the photos and videos, so more will be posted in the coming weeks. Be sure to subscribe to the NCTTA YouTube Channel for all the updates. Got an idea for a future story or newsletter topic? Email the NCTTA Media Relations Chair. |
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Newsletter - May 2011 Our mailing address is: NCTTA 2322 5th Street #204 Santa Monica, CA 90405 Our website: www.nctta.org Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/collegett Copyright (C) 2011 National Collegiate Table Tennis Association. All rights reserved. |
