USA Table Tennis

USA Table Tennis
USATT logo
Abbreviation USATT
Formation 1933
Type NPO
Purpose Sport governing body
Headquarters Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Region served
 United States
Main organ
 Board of Directors
Website USATT.org

USA Table Tennis, colloquially known as USATT, is the non-profit governing body for table tennis in the United States and is responsible for cataloging and sanctioning tournaments within the United States. It was founded in 1933 as the United States Table Tennis Association. In addition to processing tournaments, USATT maintains a national rating and ranking system. It also oversees the USA National Teams.[1] In total, USATT has over 8,000 members.[2][3] The headquarters of USA Table Tennis is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States,[4] which is also home to the United States Olympic Training Center. USA Table Tennis offers a $100,000 incentive for American Olympic table tennis athletes,[5] though no American athlete has ever won a medal for table tennis.[6]

History

The United States Table Tennis Association was created in 1933.[1] The phrase "Table Tennis" was created because the name "Ping Pong" had already been trademarked by Parker Brothers.[7] Though the legal name of the USATT remains the "United States Table Tennis Association, Inc.", the non-profit corporation adopted "USA Table Tennis" as their d/b/a name effective 1994.[8]

Members

Although about 19 million Americans play for recreation,[9] USATT has only about 8,100 members, as of April 2010.[10] Membership costs $40 per year for adults and $20 per year for juniors and collegiate players.[11] There are over 300 table tennis clubs affiliated with USATT, almost 50 of which are in California.[10] There are almost 450 USATT Certified Coaches in the United States.[12]

Major sanctioned tournaments

U.S. Open

Started in 1931, the annual U.S. Open is the oldest table tennis event in the United States.[13] It attracts over 600 athletes annually.[14] The U.S. Open has been previously held in various locations, including Anaheim, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[15] Past Menʼs Singles champions include Chen Weixing and Aleksandar Karakašević. Past Womenʼs Singles champions include Zhang Mo and Li Jiawei.[16]

The 2010 U.S. Open was held at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, MI, between June 29 and July 3.[15][17] The Men's Singles champion was Achanta Sharath Kamal of India and the Women's Singles champion was Georgina Pota of Hungary.[18]

The 2011 U.S. Open will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[19]

U.S. Nationals

The U.S. Nationals have been held since 1976.[20] The tournament is closed to non-citizens of the United States. Held annually, the top finishers in the men's and women's singles events of the U.S. Nationals are allowed to compete at the USA Table Tennis National Team Trials.[21] In addition, the U.S. Nationals determine the members of the USA Table Tennis Cadet and Junior Teams. Over 600 athletes registered for the 2009 U.S. Nationals,[22] which were held in Las Vegas, Nevada.[21] Past Men's Singles champions include Eric Owens and David Zhuang and past Women's Singles champions include Jasna Reed and Wang Chen.[20]

USA Table Tennis National Teams

The rosters for the 2011 USA Table Tennis National Teams are as follows:[23]

Men’s Team

Women’s Team

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About USATT". USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Hurt III, Harry (5 April 2008). "Ping-Pong as Mind Game (Although a Good Topspin Helps)". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  3. ↑ Armour, Nancy (18 December 2001). "Technology changing way fans see game". USA Today. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  4. ↑ Strauss, Robert (28 January 2001). "Following the Bouncing Ball". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  5. ↑ Bishop, Greg (4 June 2009). "U.S. Wrestlers Given Incentive to Bypass Mixed Martial Arts". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  6. ↑ Brady, Erik (16 August 2008). "U.S. team falls short of table tennis medal". USA Today. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Hodges, Larry (1993). Table Tennis: Steps to Success. Human Kinetics. ISBN 978-0-87322-403-1.
  8. ↑ "Bylaws of United States Table Tennis Association, Inc." (PDF). USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  9. ↑ Hollander, Sophia (22 May 2010). "Table Tennis Talent Blossoms in NYC". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  10. 1 2 Weiss, Brady; Mike McClure (19 April 2010). "USA Table Tennis - Members and Clubs by State". Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  11. ↑ Gelston, Dan (10 January 2008). "Table tennis cry: Who's got next?". USA Today. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  12. ↑ Weiss, Brady; Mike McClure (19 April 2010). "USATT Coaching". Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  13. ↑ "2010 U.S. Table Tennis Open Heading to Grand Rapids, Mich.". USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  14. ↑ "2010 U.S. Table Tennis Open Heading to Grand Rapids, Mich.". United States Olympic Committee. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  15. 1 2 "2010 U.S. Table Tennis Open Heading to Grand Rapids, Mich." (PDF). West Michigan Sports Commission. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "U.S. Open Table Tennis Champions". USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  17. ↑ "2010 U.S. Open" (PDF). USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  18. ↑ "Achanta Sharath Kamal wins US Open Table Tennis Championships". The Times of India. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  19. ↑ Kaminski, Steve (3 July 2010). "Dell Sweeris hopes to get U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships back in Grand Rapids soon". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  20. 1 2 "U.S. National Table Tennis Champions". USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  21. 1 2 "2009 U.S. Nationals" (PDF). USA Table Tennis. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  22. ↑ "653 Athletes Registered for 2009 USA Table Tennis National Championships in Las Vegas". United States Olympic Committee. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  23. ↑ "2011 Pan Am & National Team Trials". USA Table Tennis.

External links

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