Before and After
 
When developing a specific skill in table tennis, it is very important to think about the shot before and the shot after.  Let me explain…
 
Scenario #1

 
 
 
 
In the US, most serious players take private lessons from a pro.  Throughout the world, private lessons are a rarity and many players participate in group sessions.  Regardless if you are 500 or 2500 level, I recommend that you take a mixture of both.  Private lessons for specific issues and group lessons for several reasons that I’ll be outlining in this article.  Here are the five reasons that I recommend that you take group lessons.
 
Teamwork

 
 
 
 
Developing a basic Tactical Plan for competitions
 
Every player devotes most of his/her time to technical training; but tactical training is essential to apply the technique in every match and competition. Tactical training’s objective is that the player learns how to carry out a plan during the game; and this varies from one player to another. So, this plan must be properly structured.
 

 
 
 
 
 
“If I could have won all the deuce games at the last tournament, I would be rated over 1400 now!”
 
“If my opponent hadn’t got 2 nets at deuce, I would have had the upset of my life.”
 
“If I could have won all the deuce games at the state championship, I would have won the title 4-0.”
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Future of Table Tennis
 
 
Today, many coaches in the US are teaching outdated table tennis techniques from the 80’s and 90’s.  The strokes and strategies that once were used to reach a world class level are now much less effective as the old has been replaced with better equipment, more efficient strokes, and more advanced playing styles.  So, I want to say that coaches in the US should do their best to keep up to date.
 
More importantly, coaches in the US should LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
 

 
 
 
I have been asked hundreds of table tennis questions by fans around the world.  Many of these questions have been related to the rules.  
So, I have compilied the top 10 hardest table tennis rules questions and National Umpire Jacek Wisniewski has agreed to give us answers.
 
 
 
 
QUESTION #1
 
My opponent got a net ball during the point and apologized during the really, his talking distracted me and I missed the shot.  What happens when my opponent talks during the point?
 
ANSWER :
 

 
 
 
Each year, I post one article giving advice to other coaches.  Here is the article that I wrote this week for the 2016 season...
 
 
Advice for Coaches
 
 

 
 
 
 
When I coached table tennis in a school program, I was coaching up to 90 kids per day.  Over the last 20 years, I have seen thousands of kids play (or attempt to play) table tennis.  Sarah Jalli is one of my top juniors and recently went up 1000 rating points in 10 months and is now ranked #4 in the US for her age.  With the right environment and a great work ethic, Sarah definitely has Olympic potential.  So why is it that some kids rise to the top and others stay at the lower level?
 
Desire