Alameda Table Tennis Players Compete in National Championships

From the Alameda Table Tennis Club

Six boys and one girl from the Alameda Table Tennis Club head to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in the 2012 US National Table Tennis Championships held Dec. 18 to 22.

The youngest of the group, 11-year-old Kevin Li, won US Open Boys 9 and Under title in 2009. The team captain, 16-year-old David Zeng, an experienced competitor, beat men’s national champion, Peter Li, in September at the Western Open held in Berkeley.

In another recent USA Table Tennis League event (USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States), another Alameda Table Tennis Club junior, 15-year-old Bryant Lin beat Ariel Hsing, the US Women’s National champion.

Ariel Hsing is the Milpitas phenom who competed in the 2012 London Olympics where she narrowly lost to the the number two ranked woman in the world in the third round Olympic competition.  

“It is a huge accomplishment for these kids to be viable at this level of competition,” said Avi Schmidt, head coach and co-founder of the Alameda Table Tennis Club.

Avi is a two-time 50-years-and-older national champion.

“Two or three of our juniors have a good shot at bringing home titles,” he said. 

The Alameda Table Tennis Club coaching staff includes USATT and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) certified coaches. Three coaches will accompany the juniors to Las Vegas: Avi, Zaman Molla, a former member of the Iranian national team and one of the top 20 players in the U.S. today, and Dave Hanson, coach and co-founder of the Alameda Table Tennis Club.  

Four of the youths, 14-year-old Jordan Yee, 14-year-old Ivy Li, 13-year-old Edmond Tu and 12-year-old Norman Tu will be going to the US Nationals for the first time.

The club, which was founded in 2008 and started with a team of six, now has 40 members in its two junior teams.

In early 2013 the club will launch an Olympic Hopeful program.

The Alameda Table Tennis Club provides tournament training, sanctioned competitions, and open play for table tennis enthusiasts of all ages. The Alameda Table Tennis Club is located at 2050 Lincoln Ave. For more information call 415-287-0352 or visit their website at www.alamedattc.org. USATT is the governing body of table tennis in the United States.

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