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hclnnkhg Thursday September 07, 2023 at 1:23 AM #3

FrenchFrog33 wrote: Thursday September 07, 2023 at 1:00 AM #1
The main reason I enjoy this forum is because of my extreme introvertism and shyness. It so bad that the last 2 times I went to the club, I just sat there and didn't play at all. I don't know if it's because of my low level of play or not being able to approach people? The only time I play is when pay coaches for an hour.
Okay, this is the time when you all call me names or throw insults at me.

If you sit there the whole time and no one sort you out, your club is poorly managed...

Yes hclnnkhg makes an excellent point but it depends on the size of the club or center.

This is possible in a small club. When I ran a small club, I made it a point of playing doubles with everyone. Also I hit with them & explain various strokes & service rules without information overload & intimidation on first day. I had about 200 members (not at the same time or same day LOL) but after I had to leave the area for work, hardly anyone showed up because of many reasons this happens at tabletennis clubs including undfriendliness & arrogance of mostly robotNazis.

Many other clubs I played at have a good system. There is a signup board or multiple boards if many rows of tables. You look around. Estimate the level of players (though mostly hard because in tabletennis everyone is a legend in their own minds & want to play much better or even the best player in the house(more like waste their time) ) and sign up on a table that you think is approximately your level. There may be one or two players before you for a given table. If the place is very crowded, no player can stay after 3 wins & both players have to leave the table for next two in line. There are few loopholes in this or any other system but I won't get into it here

At Potomac club in Maryland for example they have two rows of tables . Usually the highest level players play on table 1 thru 3 , next level tables 4-6 , next level 6-9 on back row , and lowest on tables 9-12 . If you want to play at a table you put your racket next to the table. At times there were 4 to 5 rackets in line , since club was hugely popular in 90's. The funniest thing I have seen relates to former Women World #3 Gao Jun. She would go to say Table 4 thru 6 and put a racket there to challenge the table. The players there would be blown out of their mind thinking (& wondering why) that World # 3 is challenging them. But later it would turn out that he was putting the racket for her then husband (who was about 1700 player) . Technically this was so wrong but noone minded as it was Gao Jun & laughed it off.

In contrast , Rev.Larry Hodges’ clubs were usually quite unfriendly. As a 2100 player I would drive down from Baltimore to Rockville and basically no one would play me. Rev.Larry Hodges’ clubs were a pure reflection of his elitism & arrogance. But this has nothing to do with why he got into lots of problems with many players over the years in person & online. This is also why he was hired and fired by USATT more times than George Steinbrenner hired & fired Billy Martin. Of course his type of clubs wanted everyone to take lessons no matter their age or level. Then ther are players like me who are probably technically uncoachable (due to my style not personality) LOL

When I started playing in early 90's after my 9 year stint with tennis, I had funny incident at Benny Hull's Waltham club. Basically they had a good board signup system though noone really wanted to play me (about 1600 level at best). So I tried to be respectful but still lose 95% of the time. But Benny Hull , the owner would always invite me to play him. He could kill me under 5 in a 21 point system but made it a point of always beating me deuce in the third LOL, so I would not quit in frustration & never come back.

Actually I sort of quit for 9 years because a 75 year old lady using Phantom 007 beat me under 10. LOL I had the same robotNazi mentaility that I am such a great athlete (using smooth rubber both sides as I was thouroghly brinwashed by robotNazis) & am losing to a 75 yesr old woman.

Anyway in Waltham , Ma , i started beating Benny Hull comfortably two years later (I was on the rise & he was on the decline) . He started nlaminmg my Feint Long Classic, the least unpredictable least deceptive long pips as realyed later to the 1998 Durban Aspect Ratio Reduction Massacre. The crazy thing was that Benny Hull used antispin on his backhand himself LOL. So in tabletennis, it is always like > My Racket is holier than your racket. Therefore that in itself defines me as a far superior athlete & a human being than you. LOL

JeffM wrote: on Sunday, September 10 at 11:52 AM #20
The rules there were that ppl have to play matches, so it makes it easier as people would have to finish a match and then walk off, .

Not a good rule. I cannot play any matches anymore (due to risk of injuring myself) . I just play for exercise & not to win.
The place I play , they use a different system. You start a match after a 3 to 5 minute warmup & winnder stays upto 3 matches.
Or you can just practice for 20 minutes and one or both players leave (or the one either player who is willing to play a match can stay on the table)

It would be crazy if you try to force me to play a match. I would the just use my wrong hand & wrong grip & waste everyone's time. It would be crazy if clubs start legislating how I play (of course all robotNazis believe that only those who play with smooth rubber both sides be allowed inside clubs but that is a different issue altogether LOL)

There is also lot of pressure in some clubs to have newbies take lessons.
I have nothing against coaches but some of use may not want to take lessons or afford it or want to join USATT