If you can't take a punch, you should play table tennis - Pierre Berbizier
Of course, I can't throw a punch and I don't like anything about boxing/ kickboxing which is why I choose to play table tennis. My love for table tennis began ever since I was in high school and since then, I can't stop loving the game. Ironically, I don't watch professional table tennis sports and neither do I follow their news on the internet. That's quite strange, I know but it is what it is. I just enjoy to play the game.
Still on my High School story, I didn't really know how to play the game then but I always admired one of friends, Collins whenever he had the bat. His strokes and serves were always pleasing to behold. More so, he was left-handed and this made it more beautiful in my eyes. That's how I started loving the game and I asked him to teach me. Learning is always tasking but easy and fun when you love what you are learning. Gradually, I learned how to hold the bat, make some dangerous serves, smash as well as attack my opponent.
He would always win me each time I played against him but I kept learning in the process till I mastered the game to some level. Before finishing High School, I remember that I won Collins in the game but I can't recall the number of times though. The joy that comes from defeating your teacher is something else, yunno.
Basically, that's how I got into the table tennis world and the person that taught me the game. My love for the game kept growing since then and I can only get better. Meanwhile, I'm not planning on making a career out of it; it just something I play for fun and during my leisure.
Ending 2021 with a Table Tennis Showdown
Part of the activities I did as 2021 was winding down was playing the table tennis game. Okay, there's this annual fun outing we have in my locality. It's a teenagers summit where we get to talk, chat and teach some teenagers.
Being a youths' gathering, games and sports can't be left out. So, the closest game we could think of staging was Table Tennis. Interestingly, we had many young persons who could handle the bat and also play very well. So, it was an interesting and fun-filled mini-tournament. There were no prizes though.
Although, I hadn't been playing very frequently, I noticed that I was still good in the game. We played the Royal Rumble style and I got the finals many times; winning some and losing some. Out of the many players, there were two outstanding persons that made the game very tough and competitive for me. Their photos are the ones below.
This one here ☝️ was the overall champion of the game. He won the highest number of times and not just winning, he won with large score margins. Sadly and shockingly, I couldn't win him even once. I can't really tell what happened that day. We played against each many times but he kept winning. Many times I came close to winning but couldn't. We had many ties that took us the next round and to the next but he kept winning.
So, I had to stop stressing myself over him and congratulated his prowess. I just thought to myself, "today is his day so, let him shine." He was really good at it though and quite skillful both in service and smashing the ping pong.
On the other hand, there was this other guy that couldn't win me too no matter how he tried. Ironically, he couldn't win me but he won the other guy a few times.
The game can be funny at times. Overall, I and the boys had a really great time playing the table tennis game and I look forward to have more of such times.
Something quite happened to me after the game. I felt serious back pain afterwards which warranted me to take some pain relief tablets. I don't know why it happened that way but I remember that I stood there for hours playing the game.
