Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
NCTTA

NCTTA Newsletter
July 2008

Still summer, but the college table tennis season will be upon us sooner than you think. We've already got some teams in the Florida Division getting ready with a preseason warm-up tournament. Our annual preseason rankings survey will help determine which teams look strongest heading into 2008-2009. Plus there's new scholarship opportunities for this year at Lindenwood University and through the Newgy-NCTTA National Scholarship program. And we're wrapping up the process of reshaping our board and committees, looking to fill the open Historian and National Division Director Representative slots. 

Lindenwood University Scholarship Program
NCTTA is proud to have Lindenwood as the latest school offering college table tennis scholarships!

Texas Wesleyan, Darton College, Puerto Rico and now ... Lindenwood University. That's right Lindenwood becomes the most recent addition to the ranks of college table tennis scholarship programs. Men's and women's table tennis will become the 42nd and 43rd varsity athletic programs at the school, which is located in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The table tennis program is headed up by Randy and Kelly Kendle who also founded the St. Peters table tennis club. 

So, is Lindenwood the next college table tennis powerhouse in the making? I guess only time will tell. But, for the time being, Lindenwood is actively recruiting student athletes to build their team. Read more about the Lindenwood Table Tennis Program online or contact Randy Kendle or Kelly Kendle for scholarship information or with any other questions you might have.

Preseason Rankings Survey
NCTTA needs your help in developing a preseason rankings for the 2008-09 season. We would very much like every active NCTTA team answer the survey questions below to help us formulate the most accurate possible Preseason Rankings. 

Teams that do not reply to this survey will NOT be included in the Preseason Rankings.

Please send email to info@nctta.org by August 11th with your names, school/team (coed or women's) and answers to these questions:
  1. Which players that competed for your team in the 2007-2008 season will be returning to compete in the upcoming 2008-2009 season?
  2. Do you know of any new players that will be joining your team and participating in the upcoming season? If so, what are their estimated ratings?
  3. What is your projected varsity team roster for the upcoming season?
  4. Do you currently have or do you plan on recruiting a coach for the upcoming season?
  5. How many non-NCTTA tournaments does your team plan to attend during the upcoming year?
  6. In terms of practice space and time during the 2008-2009 season, do you anticipate having more, less or the same amount as in years past?
Best of luck to all teams competing in the upcoming season!
Florida Division Preseason Tournament
Several teams from the Florida Division organize a season warm-up event

In Florida, they take their college football pretty seriously. You can bet that about this time of year many in the state are getting ready for the start of the college football season, trying to figure out which of the stateside football powerhouses have the best shot at a conference or national title. Turns out they take their college table tennis pretty seriously too. While many college students might be chillin' at the beach, the Florida Division is gearing up for the college table tennis season by holding its first ever preseason tournament at the University of Central Florida on July 27th. Florida State, Florida, North Florida, and Florida International will join the host school to compete under relaxed NCTTA rules. It'll serve as a great introduction to college table tennis for North Florida and Florida International (both new to NCTTA this year) and a final tune-up before the college table tennis season starts in earnest in the Fall.

Sponsor Corner
Support our sponsors, they make College Table Tennis possible!
Table Tennis Pioneers has redesigned their website. Now more streamlined and easier to navigate, but same great product selection and prices as always. Check out their Summer Sizzlers sale for great deal on all your favorite brands: Andro, Donic, Stiga, Yasaka and more!
Table Tennis Pioneers/KillerspinTable Tennis Pioneers and Killerspin are the exclusive NCTTA League Sponsors for the 2007-2008 competition season. Killerspin was also the 2008 Championships Equipment Sponsor, generously providing tables, balls and other equipment for the event.

 Please remember to take advantage of the generous NCTTA Member DISCOUNTS (up to 20%) on tables, racquets, rubber, balls and just about any other table tennis equipment your club might need.
Newgy
Special thanks to NEWGY Industries, our valued Championship Sponsor who is now launching the NCTTA/Newgy National Scholarship Program (details elsewhere in the newsletter). Thanks to Newgy for their continued generous support of College Table Tennis!

Member Feature: Willy Leparulo
Part of an ongoing series profiling a notable NCTTA member club, athlete, or organizer

This month's feature member profiles NCTTA's long-serving President Willy Leparulo:

Willy’s involvement in college table tennis began ten years ago when Leparulo was playing with fellow table tennis friend Lewis Shi from Harvard University. Shi was a player on Harvard’s table tennis team and was an officer in the League of Northeast Intercollegiate Table Tennis (LNITT). Willy became extremely interested in the league and contacted group organizers who said that Leparulo would need to recruit four to five schools near his home school of Florida State University to join the league. Willy with the help of a few others recruited fifteen schools and the LNITT became known today as the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA). Ever since then, the NCTTA has seen exponential growth and now exceeds 120 schools. “Willy has endured and sacrificed a lot for college table tennis, to the point were some people just shake their heads,” said Joesph Wells, Vice President of NCTTA. With Leparulo at the focal point of the NCTTA’s future, he hopes to continue the success from the past years and expand upon it ...

Continue reading the rest of the story ...

If you would like to nominate a person or club you feel has made a difference in NCTTA for a future Member Feature, email Nathan Reilly at reillyn@fsuimail.ferris.edu.

Newgy-NCTTA Scholarship Progam
Scholarship application deadline is fast approaching for the program's first year
The NCTTA National Table Tennis Scholarship Program, seeded with generous initial support from our friends at Newgy Industries, is open to student athletes at NCTTA member schools. Scholarships are open to students pursuing their first degree and will be awarded based on a combination of table tennis skill, academics, essay and financial need. Find out more about the program, including how to submit an application at the Scholarship Program website.

The August 15, 2008 application deadline for the 2008-2009 academic year is rapidly approaching. Though a limited number of scholarships will be available in the first year, but we hope to expand the program in future years.

Get more involved in NCTTA!
Join a committee, help improve college table tennis

Currently we are "the few and the proud" but with your help we could become "the great and the many"! Announcing openings for Committee chairs and members in the list below. Committee chairs can expect to lead a group of like-minded individuals to reach specific goals both short and long term. Committee members can expect to work with a group of like-minded ... well you get the idea, it's about teamwork mostly. Get some great leadership experience and help out the sport we all love at the same time.

  1. Championships (chair)
  2. Women's (chair)
  3. Alumni and College Relations (chair)
  4. Rules and Audit (chair and members)
  5. Website (chair)
  6. Coaches (members)
  7. World University Games (members)
  8. Disabled Athletes (chair and members)
  9. Recruiting (members)
  10. Eligibility (members)
If you're interested, please send an email to info@nctta.org by August 11th with the following information: name, experience in table tennis (playing or otherwise), what you do for a living (student, working, whatever).

Board Openings: Historian and Division Director Rep.
Two board positions are currently open, with your help, they won't stay that way for long

NCTTA is currently looking to fill the Historian position and the National Division Director Representative position on the NCTTA Executive Board. Join a great team of talented and dedicated people that are committed to making a difference in the table tennis world.

  • Historian: This is a 2 year term and would require a person to be available for meetings once a month and the ability to check email frequently. Please read the NCTTA Bylaws to learn more abou what the position consists of and specific responsibilities.
  • National Division Director Representative: This is a 1 year term and would be elected by current NCTTA Division Directors to serve as their representative on the Executive Board. This person would need to have the ability to check email frequently and be available for meetings once a month.Please read the NCTTA Bylaws to learn more about what the position consists of and specific responsibilities.
If you're interested in either of these positions, please send an email to info@nctta.org by August 11th with a statement of intent that includes the following information: name, experience in table tennis (playing or otherwise), what you do for a living (student, working, whatever), and why you are interested in the position.

NCTTA Newsletter - July 2008

Our mailing address is:
NCTTA
2322 5th Street #204
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Our website:
www.nctta.org

Copyright (C) 2008 National Collegiate Table Tennis Association. All rights reserved.