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

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Make a Plan

by Samson Dubina on Wed, 2014-02-12 11:57
Written By Richard McAfee

One of the most difficult skills for the average player to learn is match strategy.  There are several reasons for this.
1.    It requires the ability to focus on what your opponent is doing.  This can be difficult when your own strokes are not sound. 
2.    It requires a lot of experience to realize what strategies work against different styles. 
3.    Finally, it is hard to fine much in writing regarding match tactics.  This is largely due to the complexity and individuality of the issue.

Modern Table Tennis Styles

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2014-02-09 18:19
Written By ITTF Coach Richard McAfee

Modern Table Tennis Styles
By Richard McAfee
USATT Certified National Coach
 
 

Improving Long-Term

by Samson Dubina on Wed, 2014-02-05 22:24
What should I be working on this year?

During the first lesson with a new student, I often ask the following question,
“Which areas of your game are you trying to improve long term and what measures are you taking to improve those areas?” 
They usually respond with a short reply like…
“I’m working on losing this fat belly.”
Or
“I’m just trying to perfect my forehand, that’s all I care about.”
Or
“I just want a serve that no one can return.”
Usually their answers are very short and not detailed.  They want to improve, but don’t have a plan.
 

Mastering Blocks

by Samson Dubina on Tue, 2014-02-04 08:35
Written By Coach Richard McAfee

McAfee’s Mechanics
Mastering Blocks
By: Richard McAfee, Joola Sponsored Coach and USATT Hall of Fame Inductee
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. 

Learn 4 keys to variation

by Samson Dubina on Mon, 2014-02-03 22:53
Written By Coach Rich Burnside

Change-Up
Written by Coach Rich Burnside

Overcoming Emotions

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2014-02-02 17:19
Written By Roger Liu (age 12)

Too Happy or Too Sad?
 
 
Say you are winning 2-0 in a match, or 10-5. You could be pretty relaxed and thinking about the next game. Another scenario is when you are down 7-3 and thinking about how you can’t win against your opponent or thinking that he is too good. This article will address both of these scenarios and how you can focus during the match.

Tournament Tips

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2014-02-02 17:16
Written by Shreyans Bafna

The moment is here. The moment to prove that all of your hard work has paid off. I will give some tips on the things to do in the tournament which may help.

1. Arrive an hour early
It is important to arrive early so that you can become accustomed to all the aspects of the playing site. These aspects include the lighting and the floor. Also, it is necessary to warm up your strokes. Your 1st match should be treated like your last match, and therefore, you have to be ready.

Racket Positioning

by Samson Dubina on Fri, 2014-01-31 22:42
Watch the Video!

Looping Placement

by Samson Dubina on Fri, 2014-01-31 17:44
Where should I be looping? Backhand? Middle? Forehand?

When looping, where should I place the ball?
Most players would answer by saying that there are 3 main locations that you should be aiming your loop at:  wide backhand, wide forehand, and at the elbow (the backhand/forehand transition point).  This is the correct answer.  In this blog, I’m going to detail when you should loop to each location for a righty playing against a righty:
 
#1 Wide Forehand

Immediate Strategy

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2014-01-26 17:39
Look for these 4 important clues!

 
 
 
When playing a tournament, you might not be familiar with your opponent.  In this blog, I am going to list a few quick things to look for in the first 30 seconds of a match.  Implement these ideals, and you will be able to immediately form a game strategy.
 
#1 Rubber

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