Tuesday night had a dry bite to it as I approached the typically inviting doors of Hart House.
The friendly staff at the fitness centre’s front desk pointed me towards the archery room, and as I meandered down the stairs, I started to hear them — the signature back and forth of ping pong balls reverberating through the halls of the basement.
As I entered the room, a storage locker with no door humbly exposed glimmers of stashed trophies of past success and recognition. It is here that a small, skilled, and dedicated group of ping pong players meet to practice.
One of the club’s presidents, Aaron Wang, is making some repairs to his paddle as the others are practising their serve and attack strategy.
Wang, a decorated player himself, recalls his first experience playing table tennis when he was just six years old.
“There was a table tennis club next door to where I studied violin, and I had nothing to do for two hours after lessons, so I started playing with the guys next door,” says Wang.
That keen beginning brought him to a silver medal in the Canada Winter Games and countless other top finishes.
The club is currently struggling to achieve varsity status and create a truly competitive inter-university community in Ontario for the sport.
However, the club is presently building momentum and its popularity often results in busy practises, which occur five nights per week at Hart House and Varsity Centre.
The club will continue to push on and strengthen the team and plan on applying to be reconsidered again in the near future. In the meantime, they mostly fund their own travels and entry fees. When it came to finding a way to Texas to represent U of T in the North American championships, they engaged the local community for help and ended up with respectable results.
The game involves quick thinking and strategizing, good cardio, and agile reflexes. I was amazed at how difficult it was to keep up with team member Paula Hsien. There’s an art to returning a tiny white ball that’s coming at you with speed, topspin, and curve.
The team will compete against McMaster University and Waterloo University in Mississauga this February to continue its season.
