2016 World Table Tennis Day For All
By Angela Guan- California, USA
On April 6th, 2016, the second World Table Tennis Day took place! In 77 countries around the globe, there were 182 registered events, celebrating World Table Tennis Day For All. On that one day, over 40,000 people played table tennis, including girls and boys, adults and seniors in various nations. This was a great opportunity to promote table tennis, and this event opened doors for all people and children to play table tennis, especially those in less developed or accessible areas of the world. Not only limiting this sport day to table tennis athletes exclusively, World Table Tennis Day For All emphasizes including all people—both athletes and non-athletes— and spreading the love for this sport to others. The whole world celebrated table tennis, and so did we; this year, three registered World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) events took place here in the US.
This year, I organized a WTTD event at my school, Live Oak Academy, in Santa Clara, California to help promote table tennis in the US. Over lunch break, my family and I set up three mini-tables on the blacktop area for our event. A couple hundred students, ranging from kindergarten to high school, joined the event, playing with each other, bouncing the balls on their rackets, and challenging me. Students from elementary through high school participated in the event, and World Table Tennis Day was a success! For many, this was the first time playing table tennis. Kids lined up to play with me and rally as much as they could during the two hours. Bringing smiles and laughter, table tennis filled the school with joy and happiness. Most importantly, everyone had fun! This was a great opportunity to develop the sport and to help it grow in both America and the world.
Furthermore, my family also celebrated World Table Tennis Day at home. Bringing four generations together, table tennis offered even more fun and delight while spending family time with each other. While my sister Betty and I challenged one another, my parents also rallied on another mini-table. Next to us, my grandparents, both 80 years old, laughed aloud as they gently hit the ball to each other. Afterwards, we brought my 102-year-old great grandmother into the game, so she can also celebrate World Table Tennis Day. Happiness and laughter filled the atmosphere. Drawing our four generations together, WTTD allowed everyone to have a chance to enjoy table tennis.
Whether it was at school, home, or at the club, World Table Tennis Day for All was a great way to spread the joy of table tennis to others. Bringing together multiple clubs and a diverse range of people in the Silicon Valley, this WTTD event helped promote table tennis and the happiness this sport brings.
Thank you for all those who helped this event succeed. I appreciate the support from not only my sponsors Butterfly North America and Seamaster, but also USA Table Tennis, SVTTC, TT America, ICC, Live Oak Academy, KTSF, Sophy Chou, and my family!
Join us again next year for World Table Tennis Day For All!
Here is a video of my event:
