In this month's Player Spotlight, Upstate NY Division Director, Jack Wu, interviewed France-born Queen's University team member Martine Lachambre. Martine is currently undefeated in the #1-seed spot,with an 4-0 match record.
I was born the 12th of August 1976 in Saint Martin d'Heres (France). (That makes her 21 years old).
Please briefly describe your playing style and equipment.I have an offensive playing style. My favorite move is forehand loop with a lot of top spin. Therefore I try to use my forehand most of the time. I use MarkV and Vario soft rubbers. I speed-glue my rubbers to obtain a greater speed on the ball and a better feeling upon looping.
When did you start playing and how did you get started (in other words, who introduced you to the sport)?I started when I was 7 years old. In the village where I am from, table tennis is quite popular. My older brothers and sister played, so they inspired me to learn.
What kind of training did you go through in France? What is a typical training day?When I lived in France, I trained between 6 to 10 hours a week in a club near my parents' house. The training usually consisted of warm-up (first, the physical warm-up and then at the table: forehand to forehand and backhand to backhand), various forms of exercises (which aim to improve your physical, mental and technical conditions), and, finally, games at the end of the training.
What was your French rating?Last year, in France, I was ranked 40th for senior (older than 18) women.
What titles have you held?I have been the regional champion several times since I was young.
Have you represented your region in the national-level competitions?Yes, I played on my regional team for 5 years. Our best result was placing 5th among all the French regional teams. I also played for my club's team. We played at the national1 or national2 level against other French clubs.
Can you please briefly describe how the French system works?For the team championships, the highest level is called the "super division" (there are only 6 teams for the women); this is followed by the national1, national2, and regional levels. For teams, the season is divided in two parts. At the end of the season and at the middle, your team can go up, down or stay at the same level depending on the results of various matches.
For the individual championships, the highest level is national1, followed by the national2, regional and departmental levels for the senior women. Depending on your result, you can go up, down or stay at the same level from one week to the next (however, there are only four weekends of individual competitions in one season).
What do you consider to be your highest honor so far?I reached the quarter-finals in the French Championships when I was 15 years old. In 1996-97, my university team also placed second in all of France.
What are your goals for future training once you get back to France?I do not have any particular goals in mind right now. I am not sure if I want to play in the championships again, because that involves spending most of my weekends from the end of September to the end of April in a gymnasium. These championships are organized by the FFTT (French Federation of Table Tennis). For this kind of competition, I have to sign up at the beginning of the season and there are individual and team (with your club) championships. As you can see, the commitment is substantial. Therefore I will see whether this playing schedule is compatible with my job or not. But for sure, I will continue to play and maybe enter some tournaments.
What is the most invaluable advice you received from your coach?Keep going till the end of the game, whatever the score is.
How popular is table tennis in France?Table tennis is not very popular in France, but I guess that it is more popular there than in North America.
Any difference between playing table tennis here in North America and in France?In North America, the Asian style is used more abundantly than in France. As a result, I needed to adapt my game accordingly. Also I have noticed that table tennis is much more competitive in France.
Who is your favorite player and why?Jean Philippe Gatien. I like his playing style. He is extremely fast and plays the balls very early.
Now, something about your exchange experience......I am participating in an exchange program for one year at Queen's University. This is a mutual exchange, which means that a Canadian from Ontario is studying in France while I am in Canada. I was motivated to go abroad to learn another language, discover a different culture and meet a lot of people. I came to Canada 3 years ago for the summer and I really liked it, so I wanted to come back... and here I am now!
Which part of France were you from exactly? How would you describe it (i.e. how many people in the area, any special customs, special food)?I am from a tiny village between Grenoble and Chambery in the Alps called Lumbin. I study in Lyon. It is a dynamic region with the second highest number of inhabitants in France (behind Paris area). There are high mountains to go skiing and hiking. Different food specialities are centered from the various local cheeses.
How do you like the lifestyle in North America?It is very interesting to discover a different lifestyle. This opens your mind. But even if I adapt well to this culture, I think that I would always prefer the lifestyle I have know since I was born.
What do you miss the most about France (or the city where you came from)?The mountains... it is too flat around here :-))
What are you studying and what do you plan to do, in terms of career and others, after graduation?I am in Electrical Engineering, and I am finishing my last year in Canada. After graduation I will look for a job in France in the Telecommunication field. I hope that my Canadian experience will help me find an international position within France.