Coach Samson Dubina US National Team Coach 4x USATT Coach of the Year
 

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Sponsorship Opportunity for National-Level Event

Three Options Available

 
Dear Table Tennis Players,
 
We are looking for sponsorships for our September 26-27 tournament.  One top player from China (Ma Lin's former teamate) has already committed to coming.  It will be a very exciting event.  If you are willing to partner with us, please send me an e-mail asap tt@samsondubina.com.  Thanks in advance!
 
 
Sponsorship Packages
September Table Tennis Championship Tournament
Akron, Ohio
 

Mastering Blocks

By Richard McAfee

While not as flashy as topspin attacks and kills, few strokes are more important to your success as a player than the often under-appreciated block stroke.  The basic “control” block is one of the very first strokes that all players learn and then unfortunately, many players stop developing and improving this core technique. 

The Details of SPIN

By Coach Richard McAfee

The defining element of the sport of Table Tennis is spin.  Understanding the types of spin that can be applied to a table tennis ball for any given stroke is imperative for any table tennis athlete wishing to play at a high level. 
How many spins can you name?

My Hope

Philippians 3:20-21

I just finished playing the US National Team Trials in Fort Worth, TX.  I gave 100% effort on every match and suffered a devastating loss to Jim Butler on the final day with ended my chances of making the US Team.  I gave it my best to win, and I'm not discouraged from the loss.  I love life and love playing tt but I also have the hope of eternal life in heaven.  This afternoon, I was encouraged by a Bible verse in Philippians...
 

What to Do When You Are Losing

Samson offers some advice on what to do when you find yourself losing a big game

I am playing a very important match in a tournament; I am losing 2-0 in games and now losing 5-0 in the third game. What should I do?
 
The first thing is… Never give up! I have won many matches because of a third-game comeback. My opponent starts crying to himself that he should have finished the match and the momentum swings to me.
 
The second thing is… Call time out. A friend or coach might be able to give me tips, insights, or encouragement which could really help.
 

Best 1-Liners

Read some quick "thoughts of the day"

When learning a new serve, focus exclusively on developing maximum spin with your wrist.
 
When smashing topspin, step back away from the table, while smashing forward and slightly down.  When smashing backspin, step close to the table, which smashing forward and slightly up.
 
Remember to anticipate with your feet, while keeping your racket in-front for last second adjustments.
 
When blocking, remember to think about ball control, placement, and extending the rally as long as possible.
 

Biomechanics

By Coach Richard McAfee

This article deals with some of the basic Biomechanics involved with a Table Tennis Stroke.  It breaks down the stroke into three components. 
 
 
 
1.      Backswing
2.      Contact with ball
3.      Follow-through
 
 
The Role of the Backswing
Key elements for timing and power production.

Bible FAQs

Read Some Questions That People Are Asking...

While traveling for table tennis events, I have had many opportunities to speak to players about the good news of Jesus Christ.  There have been several questions that come up frequently and I would like to take the time to answer them in this blog post
 
Question:            Samson, is it narrow-minded to think that Jesus is the only way to God?  Aren’t there other ways to reach heaven?
 

Drill Rotation

By Ryan Gubler

 
If you are like me your drills have consisted of 5 to 10 minute rounds or one to two passes through a bucket of balls that usually equates to around those times. Then you rotate and let your partner go for a turn. Recently we have changed how we are rotating our drills and for now the outcome has been good. 
 

Strategic Ball Placement

Learn the Fastest Way to Improve Your Game!

The Fastest Way to Improve
 
     If you would like to improve your game 50-100 points in the near future, focus on improving your ball placement.  To make stroke changes, it takes persistent coaching over an extended period of time.  However, if you can take the strokes that you currently have and improve your placement, then you should see instant progress.

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