ITTF North American Cup, Westchester Table Tennis Club, New York

April 20, 2013

Writing this email as the players from Canada and the USA Westchester TT club in New York. Andy's top club for many reasons!begin filing into the Westchester Table Tennis club at 7:30 am.  I can now state, after visiting approximately 30 table tennis clubs around the country, on this trip, that the Westchester TTC is the very best.  THE WESTCHESTER TABLE TENNIS CLUB IS THE VERY BEST.

The rhythmical sound of two top players hitting the ball is now filling the room.  Will Shortz and Robbie Roberts have been extremely busy getting ready for this ITTF event, however they found time to make sure I had a place to park the VW Eurovan, just outside the main entrance, a shower and great food.  I forgot how good a piece of New York pizza tastes, the slice of pizza that is so thin you have to fold it over so the cheese and sauce don't slide off.

Will & Robbie gave me a key to their club and asked if I'd open early this morning....of course!  They (Will & Robbie) will be visiting Alaska TT Clubs while Susanne and I are in Denmark.  And, of course, they are anxious to visit our great state.  Will Shortz especially mentioned Boyd & Shirley Bennett's club in Ealge River.  Yesterday at lunch Will wondered why they closed their club.  I told him it was a temporary situation and would most likely open again as more players are coming out of retirement.

Please go to www.westchestertabletennis.com for live streaming of the North America Cup, you may see me in the crowd.  This competition will be also live streamed on the www.ittf.com web site.  I believe, it's been almost two decades since the USA has hosted an ITTF event, glad the timing of this trip was perfect so I was able to have this experience.

This morning Richard Lee, of North American Table Tennis Association, said he'd sponsor me when I'm ready to do another one of these road trips......!  Anyone interested? 

Best regards,

Andy

Lilly Yip's Table Tennis Training Center, Dunallen, New Jersey.

April 17, 2013

Last email I was headed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania for an informal family reunion, sister Deb and her husband Jim Hess were driving in from New Hampshire, so it was a nice gathering at our grandfather and grandmother, Wysal and Justina Hutzel's, grave at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church Cemetery, Minersville, PA.  George Hutzel (Uncle George) wasn't looking very well, so two days later he was admitted to hospital.  Three days later into an assisted living arrangement, which Uncle George accepted willingly.  At 92 years old....it's for the best.

Yesterday arriving at the Lily Yip's Table Tennis Training Center, another fantastic facility.  Two levels of rubber matted flooring, DHS table, excellent lighting.  The price is $12.00 per day for non-members...and well worth every penny.  Lilly has made sure I have someone to play all the time...it can be exhausting especially since I've had almost two weeks of not playing and eating that wonderful Polish/Ukrainian food of the Pennsylvania coal country. 

This morning played for three hours with local club members and soon I'll begin an hour of training with a young Chinese coach Lilly brought over from China only three weeks ago.  I'm sure he'll remember this day, playing a 65 year old hard-bat player and tonight he's scheduled to play Aerial Hsing.  Aerial is in New Jersey to take a tour of Princeton University and check out the local ping pong clubs.  She still wants to keep her game at a high level while attending a university, also Lilly's son (Adam) and daughter (Judy) are here every evening.  $50 per hour and you can train with Adam, Judy, or Lilly.  Also, Lilly's club is less than two hours from Pottsville, and 45 minutes from New York City.

This weekend I'll be at the Westchester Club in Pleasanton, New York to watch the ITTF event.  Spring has finally arrived in the northeast and temperatures are rising. 

Please see attached photo and hope you are all well.

Andy

Rating after Broward, Florida tournament ... 1849

April 7, 2013

Maybe there is an over 1900 to 2000 level in me.... Winning the Alaska Yukon Challenge Open Team event in 2011. Signing of the "Birchwood Bowl" just have to work harder, or maybe learn to play with inverted?

Smokey Mountain hospitality at it's finest....

April 4, 2013

Last email was sent from Dave & Emily Nelson's home in Clyde, North Carolina just before Easter Sunday.  Dave & Emily's hospitality has always been a sterling example of western Carolina's traditional way of treating people.  Easter Sunday lunch/dinner at the Kelly home (Emily's family) brought that friendly hospitality to an even higher standard. Huntsman Senior Games 2012, Two time Silver metalist!

Before eating everyone socialized, from the youngest, 10 years old, to the oldest, which wasn't me as you are probably thinking.  Eighteen family members, and I, held hands around the table, as Jack Kelly blessed the food and warmly welcomed each of us.  As we held hands I thought of the Danish Christmas gatherings at Susanne's mother's home in Denmark, where the holding hands tradition continues.  The next morning, driving away from Clyde towards Cary and  the low lands, I felt an inspirational closeness with folks of the Smokey Mountains.

After driving across Arizona and Texas the four hour drive from Clyde to Cary, North Carolina seemed to pass by with a few blinks of the eye.  Arrived Cary around noon and was able to play at the Herb Young Community center for two hours.  Six o'clock in the evening played for four more hours at the Cary Senior Center.  I believe the average cost to play at the various clubs I've visited is around $6.00.  The ping-pong community of Cary is fortunate, they pay $4.00 per night and I ,as a senior non-resident of North Carolina, paid the ungodly amount of $1.00.  Not a typo....one dollar!  Beat that.

East coast travel time is reasonable compared to the southwest.  I drove two days across Texas and was able to play at just two clubs, El Paso and Austin.  Texas is huge.  Do you know how to make a Texan angry?  Tell them we're going to split Alaska into two parts...Texas then becomes the 3rd largest state...! 

Retaping the handle at the 2011 North American Teams in Baltimore MD.Next day was another easy drive to the Northern Virginia Table Tennis Center located in Chantility, Virginia.  This club is, once again, another club located in a warehousing district of the city.  Appears, with the real estate market at a low point, clubs are finding affordable locations in warehousing and small shopping malls.  Currently I'm staying at our Baltimore Team Captain's home in Sicklerville, New Jersey, Robert Hodgson.  Robert told me last night, while eating dinner, the owner of the Trolly Car Table Tennis Club, whom is also a real estate broker, negotiated a monthly lease for the club where the land lord gets half of whatever the club takes in.  Meaning, if the club takes in $400 per month the land lord gets $200.  Moreover, the land lord pays for all utilities!  I want this guy to go with me next time I'm looking to purchase a new car.

Last night Robert and I played at the Flick! Table Tennis performance center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The club owner, Jeff Fuchs, is quite the business man and yet a player/coach.  Jeff will be traveling with and coaching the USA Jewish youth team competing in Israel this year.  Enjoyed discussing a club business model with Jeff, once again it takes a behind the scenes god-father like figure to help make a club grow before it takes off on it's own.  I heard several club operators, at the grass-root level, say the USATT board-of-directors is out of touch with the average club player.  No silver bullet, to fix the issue, was mentioned, however I do remember bullets being mentioned in some form or another.  I reckon they'd probably identify with Sarah Palin.

Tonight we're playing at Robert home club, the West New Jersey TTC, where we'll play in a USATT league night.  This weekend I'll be in Pottsville, home of the oldest beer company in the USA - Yuengling's, visiting my family.  Time to relax and maybe hold hands.

Andy

Currently in Clyde, which may be confusing for those geographicly challenged....

March 29, 2013

Clyde is east of Cherokee, and west of Hickory on Route 40, that should illuminate everything.  Susanne and I first met Dave and Emliy Nelson in Montgomery, Alabama.  Dave was a singer in the Air Force Band and I was finishing my Air Force career as acting First Sergeant.  Dave got orders to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, we kept in touch.  Dave suggested we (great advice) visit Alaska before finally settling down after retiring from the Air Force in 1989.  Dave and Emily returned to Clyde, North Carlolina three years ago.

Andy with Ralph Staleman at the NATT Teams 2011. They speak a special "hard bat" language! "flip...smack...chop and pick hit." After visiting the Merritt Island, Florida table tennis club on March 18th arrived the Broward TTC the next day to prepare for their One Star USATT tournament March 23/24 (Saturday & Sunday).  The Broward club is one of the better run clubs in the country.  Several over 2200 level players are available each night of the week, and willing to play a few games or hit practice strokes. 

I entered the top five events, from the Open down to the Under 2100.  Got to the quarter finals of the Under 2100 by winning a match against a 1920 rated player who chopped with long pips and looped on the forehand side.  I stayed to the long pips backhand side and won 3 games to zero.  My goal was to not loose to any player rated lower than me, which I did.  I've often lost to players rated much lower than I because my game had such peaks and valleys.  This journey appears (for now) to have fixed that problem. 

After Broward TTC went to Naples, Florida visiting with Dennis and Lisa Fiandola.  Dennis and I last saw each other in South Vietnam, 1969.  Enjoyable to get together and seems time stopped.  We laughed at old times while Dennis was in shock when I went swimming in their pool, with water temperatures around 74 degrees.  Refreshing....I thought.

Front and center. back in 2012 when Mr. Noh was visiting from Korea. Andy is up for the challenge.Recharged after a relaxing time in Naples (beautiful city and nice gulf coast beaches) departed for the Spin City club in Clearwater, Florida.  This club is open everyday and plenty of players at the 1800+ level to practice with.  Played at Spin City until 9:30 pm then drove three hours to Valdosta, Georgia.  Easy morning four hour drive to Club JOOLA in Marietta (suburbs of Atlanta) which is also open seven days a week.  Got two hours of training with their club pro, Lee.  Lee is rated over 2400 and was willing to hit for two hours....where else can you find tha?  Also visited Yang's club later that day in Duluth (on the north side of Atlanta) before heading to Clyde.  Both JOOLA and Yang's clubs are located in nice suburban malls with rubber floors, great lighting, and plenty of space around the tables.  Strong area if wanting to improve your game.

Spending Easter weekend with Dave and Emily Nelson.  Emily's mother and father will fix a southern Easter dinner for their family, expect 15 family members will attend.  Very much looking forward to this experience.

Expect to be in Cary, North Carolina next week, then later in the week arrive Robert Hodgson's for a visit to his New Jersey club and the Trolly Car Club in Philadelphia.  The journey continues... 

Love and best wishes for your safety,

Andy