| | | | Sponsor Corner | Thanks to our sponsors... NCTTA would like to thank TMS International for their support of college table tennis. TMS is the title sponsor for divisional and regional competitions, as well as the TMS 2015 College Table Tennis Championships.  NCTTA is proud to have Joola as the NCTTA table sponsor for its National Championships.  NCTTA welcomes Double Fish as the official ball sponsor of NCTTA competitions for the next three years. NCTTA is thrilled to partner with PepPod. Maintain your game with over 75 beneficial ingredients and the perfect amount of energy in one convenient tablet that you just drop in water! Also, special thanks to NEWGY Industries, for its continued support of college table tennis Newgy offers a great way to fund-raise for your club and help out our sponsor as well by signing up and participating in their Newgy Robo Pong Affiliate Program. |
| | Dear Member, | Summer is here, but there is still plenty of events happening within NCTTA and College Table Tennis! For instance, Where are we going for 2016? Who is the "best of the best" and even a little NCTTA Wedding, read about these and more in this month's newsletter! |
WE WANT YOU-Volunteer for NCTTA | I know we sound like a broken record here, but I promise this is important. NCTTA is looking for an "A-Team" of talented volunteers to step up and give back to collegiate table tennis. Opportunities are almost unlimited for men and women with a passion for this Olympic sport. We're looking for people who know the ins and outs of the sport, can organize and run tournaments in their area and promptly check and return emails. Division directors cannot be a competing player in NCTTA competition. There are some rewards for the hard work. The NCTTA will supply some financial assistance so division directors can attend the 2016 national championships!! Picture of some of our volunteers at the National Championships Banquet. (Picture by Big Mike Hillard)  Plus an NCTTA polo shirt, USATT membership, and free umpire certification all come with the job. You say you feel you don't have exactly what it takes? NCTTA will supply the training. How to apply: We want to know a little about your background and experience in table tennis and a brief bio would help. Send us a short statement of no more than 500 words about why you want to fill these shoes. Please send it by June 1st to info@nctta.org. The following positions are open: Division Directors: - Canada East
- Lower Midwest
- New York City Downtown
- Northwest
Regional Directors: Email us at info@nctta.org for more information.
It is not glamorous work, but think of all of the great times you've had while playing College Table Tennis. This doesn't happen without people behind the scenes. Maybe Division or Regional Directorship isn't your cup of tea, then join one of our many committees! Marketing, Media, Women's Committee, etc. |
| | | 2015 NCTTA End of the Year Awards sSponsored by Joola | Nominations for the 8 end of the year awards streamed in from around the NCTTA Nation and the winners voted on by the NCTTA Board of Directors are as follows: - Male athlete - Feng Zhe (Texas Wesleyan)
- Female athlete - Lily Zhang (UC Berkeley)
- Rookie of the year - Tong Zhang (Mississippi College)
- Coach of the year - Sam Howes- (University of Western Ontario)
- Rookie team of the year - McGill University
- Most improved - UCLA
- Division Director of the Year: John Drsek (Ohio division)
- Regional Director of the year: Jay Lu (Northeast)
Each will win a 50 dollar coupon code to Joola. Here are what some of the people who nominated our winners said! "Sam Howes from Western Ontario for Coach of the Year as I feel as though he has played an integral part of the team by going out of his way to ensure that everyone on the team feels like they are a part of the table tennis family. He has even gone beyond expectations to ensure that players would be able to go the Nationals (like meeting with deans) something most coaches would not have done." Sam Howes is our Coach of the Year in NCTTA and a volunteer like many of us. Many of the nominations brought many accolades about Tong Zhang with reference to his quality of character and mental fortitude after pulling off 3 consecutive amazing shots in the final team doubles match. "He is the athlete I aspire to become: One with mental fortitude and humility, one with talent and yet a will to learn even more. I came out of NCTTA respecting him both as a player and as a human being." He may have won Male Athlete of the Year had it not been for Feng Zhe's unparalleled undefeated tournament which is also amazing to note. Tong Zhang is pictured below right after the last point of the Team Championships. 
Photo Credit to Michael Chen |
#NCTTAWEDDING - A Table Tennis Fairytale | By Vanessa Petroj NCTTA Media Committee It was one of those things where you had to be there to know what it was like. Not because the pictures can't tell a thousand words, but because the love, friendship, loyalty and energy that was blooming during the week of the preparations and the wedding day are indescribable. The force was so strong that there was even a tornado storming by us on the morning of the wedding day. The universe couldn't even handle us. Willy and Shelly, now Mr. and Mrs. Leparulo, are probably the most well-known couple in the NCTTA world. Everyone who has met them separately loves them, and anyone who has seen them together has immediately fallen in love with them. Their story is truly amazing and is so rooted in table tennis that it would be a crime to not devote a little piece of our newsletter to it. Shelly, a native of Guangzhou, China and, at the time a graduate student in the MBA program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi met Willy, the NCTTA President and an academic coordinator at Florida State University, at a table tennis tournament. Willy and Shelly first met at the 2012 ACUI Table Tennis Championships in Bloomington, Indiana, a tournament at which Willy served as the tournament director and Shelly was a student athlete representing her school. The wedding was a table tennis fairy tale. It took place on the property where Willy grew up (aka "the compound") - in the beautiful and spacious backyard of Willy's parents' house in Tallahassee, Florida. The colors of the wedding were red, black and white - representing both table tennis and the traditional Chinese color red, and we decorated accordingly. There was a photo booth that gave birth to the #ncttawedding hashtag, a dance-floor and two table tennis tables on the grass outside of the tent. Did you really think there would be a table tennis wedding without tables to play on? I can say, as a first-hand participant and observer, that neither the tables nor the dance floor were empty at any point during the wedding! The way to the isle was surrounded by barriers - so when the wedding party and Shelly walked towards the isle - we felt right at home. The ceremony was led by Willy's Aunt Pili who did it beautifully and started waves of tears - that turned into waterfalls by the time we heard Willy and Shelly say their vows and express their love for each other. Once the ceremony was over, Willy and Shelly walked away from the isle - through a tunnel of friends and relatives who had their paddles up in the air (we were instructed to bring our paddles to the wedding).  As they were walking, instead of rice, we were showering them with bubbles and... table tennis balls! We saw first dances and first points, and another wave of happy tears when the toasts took place. The day that started off with a tornado warning and with taking off and drying off the decorations with a hairdryer, turned into a beautiful sunny afternoon - with the rain and wind stopping about an hour before the ceremony was about to take place. There was table tennis, dancing, laughter, hugs, friendship, love and you could feel the indestructible bonds of friendship being built right there in front of your eyes. Basically, it was an NCTTA tournament but way more glamorous! (Not that I don't think our equipment is fancy, but just imagine girls in dresses and guys in suits standing across the tables from each other, or if you can't possibly imagine that - just take a look at Shelly wearing her wedding dress while scoring her first point against Willy!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTpTqXJwJ_o http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Features/2015/April/26/NCTTA-table-tennis-wedding With their permission, I am quoting a part of his vows that said "I promised to love you and cherish you and always make you happy. I also promise to do my best to return all of your serves and slams and everything in between including making our life extra-ordinary and fun..... Look around you, I even gave you a table tennis wedding!". You know two people whose love found a way through language and geographical boundaries are made for each other when you witness these kinds of moments. Let's congratulate them one more time, give them our best wishes and ask them to keep inspiring us - both in their dedication to the table tennis community and to one another. Like I said, you had to be there. |
NCTTA YOUTUBE CHANNEL Replays College Championships | Ever get that feeling where you think, "Gosh I miss being at the TMS 2015 College Table Tennis Championships." Well perhaps not in that exact sentiment, but certainly if you wanted to relive the amazing moments from Championship past, check out NCTTA's Youtube channel! Currently, our volunteers are uploading as many as 5-6 videos every couple of weeks, check it out and enjoy it all over again!  |
USA Table Tennis Tournaments This Summer | College Table Tennis takes its summer break, but that doesn't mean you have to! USA Table Tennis has a plethora of tournaments for you to play in and even some may have a collegiate table tennis flair too! If team tournaments are your thing, well take a look at the America's Team Championships in Rockford, Illinois over the Memorial Day weekend. http://www.rockfordttc.com/america-s-team-championship.html College Table Tennis representation from Texas Wesleyan, Lindenwood, Florida State University, University of Minnesota, and University of Florida to name a few! Also not to be forgotten is one of USA Table Tennis' premier events, The US Open Las Vegas, Nevada on July 6-11th. http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Events/2015/July/06/2015-US-Open Check out the USA Table Tennis tournament listing and stay active! http://www.teamusa.org/usa-table-tennis/events USA Table Tennis membership for NCTTA member schools (college students) is just 25 dollars. http://www.teamusa.org/usa-table-tennis/usatt/join-today  |
NCTTA Leaders Return for A New Season | By Andy Kanengiser NCTTA Media Chair NCTTA President Willy Leparulo and colleagues with the organization's successful leadership team will stick around for a new season in 2015-16. Recently re-elected without opposition, Leparulo will return once again after heading the NCTTA for more than a decade. Over the years, Leparulo has acknowledged that he's had lots of terrific help along the way. And hard-working volunteers like NCTTA Human Resources leader Sam Huang and League Representative Chris Wang are among Willy's can-do guys returning, too. The new season of collegiate table tennis begins early in the fall with practices and divisional tournaments. "I think the NCTTA and college table tennis are super lucky to have Sam Huang and Chris Wang agree to come back for those positions,'' Leparulo said in mid-May. "I have worked with Sam for a couple of years prior as he's also been the Marketing Committee Director, and I remain impressed with his commitment as a board member.'' Huang is presently a graduate student in chemical engineering at the University of Toronto. The Toronto resident graduates this summer and then starts job hunting. He will also stay aboard as marketing chair for NCTTA. Wang, Leparulo said, is a 21st Century renaissance man. "Chris can literally do anything!'' Sam Huang is delighted to continue to play an important role with NCTTA, the group that oversees the 150 college table tennis teams in the USA and Canada. The NCTTA leadership chemistry seems to work pretty well for Willy, Sam and Chris and others on the team of volunteers. All stay on fire about this wonderful Olympic sport. "Willy and Chris are absolutely amazing people to work with, and they are so dedicated to the NCTTA,'' Huang said. "It really amazes me the effort that they put in to this volunteer role. It really shows their passion for table tennis. I am sure we will push the NCTTA to new heights in the coming years.'' A staff member with the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering in Tallahassee, Leparulo is a Florida State graduate. He's served as president of NCTTA since September 2004 after working as the group's Recruiting Director. The former NCTTA President resigned to focus on his medical school residency, and the board voted Willy in. Since then, he and colleagues have helped the NCTTA step up its game with a fantastic group of sponsors and support from divisional directors. "We are a great organization and we are not done growing, so I look forward to more growth,'' Leparulo said. One of his goals is to get better results from his push to involve more alumni within the NCTTA family. It may lead to alumni table tennis competitions, engaging alumni in in-kind partnerships and signing them up as NCTTA volunteers. "We have so many talented alumni. We really should knock it out of the proverbial park with anything that we do.'' One of the items on the plate of NCTTA leaders soon is to select a city to host its championship games. Bids have come in for NCTTA officials to consider as possible venues. The April 2015 TMS college table tennis championships were held on the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. What USA city will be next to host 250 superb table tennis players for three days of competition? Stay tuned. Pictured below returning board members: Chris Wang and Willy Leparulo alongside current board member,
Joseph Wells. Photo credit: Keith Lam |
Three USA Cities Bidding for 2016 TMS College Table Tennis Championships | By Andy Kanengiser NCTTA Media Chair Cities in Texas, Virginia and the state of Washington are seeking to host the 2016 TMS College Table Tennis Championships. It wasn't too long ago that Eau Claire, Wisconsin hosted the 2015 tournament April 10-12. But now the ball sits in the NCTTA's court to weigh the merits of the newest proposals from potential hosts. Round Rock, Texas, Hampton, Virginia and Spokane, Washington submitted their bids to NCTTA headquarters in mid-May. Officials in the state capital of Montgomery, Alabama in the heart of Dixie could join them. As they do every year, NCTTA leaders will carefully study a host city's table tennis venue. That lengthy check list includes everything from lighting to flooring to seating capacity for fans. What's the food service like at the site? Will there be plenty of helpful volunteers available? What does the city have to offer from hotels to access to major airports to hospitality? "The process is never easy. We look at lots of key components and try to make a decision that's best for the entire NCTTA family,'' says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. "We give it lots of thought, and always welcome input - whether it's from division directors, coaches or players. We really want to hear from you as we explore our options.'' All of the cities submitting bids have selling points. Round Rock, that's located near the Texas state capital of Austin, is a city with a growing reputation as a technology hub. Round Rock also bills itself as the Sports Capital of Texas. Mayor Alan McGraw raves about Round Rock, and for good reason. His city is home of Austin Community College, Texas State University and the Texas A&M Health Science Center. The University of Texas in nearby Austin isn't far away. One seldom gets bored in Round Rock. In April the city hosts the Round Rock Cultural Festival. Getting hungry? Try Andy's Frozen Custard. But what will Round Rock offer to make 250 outstanding collegiate table tennis players feel right at home? Check out Round Rock's proposal on the NCTTA website. The city has offered two different dates - the weekend of March 27 and the weekend including May 1. If the Lone Star State doesn't win over the NCTTA leadership team, there are other potential sites to ponder. College students that prefer to play their table tennis in the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, might want to consider Hampton. It's a scenic city of more than 137,000 people. Like Round Rock, Texas, there's plenty to do in Hampton. Events in the city range from the Blackbeard Pirate Festival to the Hampton Jazz Festival to the Chesapeake Bay Reggae Festival. Beautiful lighthouses, fishing boats and beaches are practically a stone's throw away. The Hampton Roads Convention Center, the Hampton University Museum, and Virginia Air & Space Center are major attractions. And so are the NASCAR races at Langley Speedway. While there are many fun things to do in Hampton, Va., NCTTA officials, as usual, plan to ask lots of questions as they size up its table tennis facilities. Hampton officials are proposing the weekend of April 2. The hunt for a 2016 site also stretches out west to Spokane that's tucked away in the Northwest Rockies. A city of more than 210,000 people, Spokane is the home of colleges like Gonzaga University, Washington State and Whitworth University. Visitors love to snap pictures of the Spokane Falls, walk in Centennial Park and try a whitewater rafting adventure. The city has a long history as a rail hub in the Northwest. Hampton is proposing the weekend of April 2. |
Subscribe to the USATT Insider | USA Table Tennis now publishes a new weekly e-newsletter: The USATT Insider, presented by PepPod. Within it you will find the latest news and information from the table tennis community. Subscribe to it here: Copy and paste this URL into your browser... http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001HTk7N6nZumIrEzFA7b4CRtUcCN-ku60hzFugEa9nT8rAw6P2aUu5Yl1_BU-mM8svPRAbeKC1f-yIXVVm1Ybhye8fNXZi9Tv1t1p4DP1zSIUaXG7ZX8U6sAUbgQerQqKo3I9FNYTadkXcuY2MKrZrdEf7c60xDaLl |
Interested In Journalism? Write For NCTTA's Publications! | ANY JOURNALISM majors or better yet JOURNALISM, ENGLISH graduates out there want a great volunteer  gig? NCTTA is looking for an EDITOR and WRITERS for its website and newsletters: http://www.nctta.org/newsletters/ This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to get their work released to different media outlets and help NCTTA with Blogging, Newsletters, Twitter, etc. Click here to get involved with this committee or others. |
USATT Membership Discounts For NCTTA Graduates | NCTTA has recently teamed with USA Table Tennis to create a special opportunity where recent NCTTA grads can take advantage of a 2-year USATT membership for 62 percent off of the regular price. Yes, you read that right 62% off. USATT membership is the best way to stay involved with table tennis after graduation. So take advantage of this great deal! Read all about it at: nctta.org/alumni NCTTA takes care of its alumni hoping that they then will return the favor to their collegiate clubs by donating their time or money or both to keep programs and teams alive. Keep involved! Got an idea for a future story or newsletter topic? Email the NCTTA Media Committee Chair |
| Stay tuned for more exciting NCTTA news next month. Don't forget to click on the link below (Update Profile/Email Address). Sincerely, |
NCTTA
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