(By Kathy Borlik South Bend Tribune)
Dan Seemiller: Living legend marks 21 years in South Bend
Danny Seemiller is a legend. Danny is a prominent name in table tennis and he is coaching right here in South Bend. He lives in the garden spot of the county, in New Carlisle.
He coaches and mentors at the South Bend Table Tennis Club. The club will celebrate his 21 years of coaching with an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Beacon Center, 4210 Lincoln Way W. It is the former Beacon Bowl by the South Bend airport. Please enter through the west door.
Twenty-one is a big number in the table tennis world, Danny said.
Danny said the open house is free, and he wants all ages to come out and see the sport in action. There will be refreshments, a raffle and an exhibition. He would like to get more young athletes involved.
“Danny Seemiller is the most prominent name in table tennis in North America,” according to Phil Schmucker, one of the club’s founders. “We were incredibly fortunate to get him to come to South Bend 21 years ago, and we’re thrilled that he’s still coaching here.”
The coach has appeared in Sports Illustrated and has a lengthy biography on the USA Table Tennis hall of fame page. He is a five-time U.S. Nationals Singles Champ, 12-time U.S. Men’s Doubles Champ and was the United States Men’s Olympic Coach in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004).
When he isn’t coaching, he is out giving clinics and demonstrations.
Danny started playing as a kid in the basement in the 1960s and moved on up the ladder.
Danny has developed a number of players on the U.S. National Team such as Mark Hazinski, Joey Cochran, Jared Lynch, A.J. Brewer and Dan Seemiller Jr. He has several players now who have played in tournaments around the country and most recently Las Vegas.
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