MB
Multi-ball Table Tennis Training Methods
& Plano Rec. Centers
What is multi-ball training ?
Multi-ball training refers to the training method where a player trains using a bucket of balls instead of using just one ball.
A competitve table tennis player can train multi-ball in one of 3 ways,
1. Self training by the player by himself of herself alone
2. Using a partner (& train each other)
3. With a coach
A competitive player needs 4 or 5 items to improve in table tennis. Just playing practice matches against various players is very important, but just doing ONLY that week after week is not going to help a player much in terms improvement & that can only be measured by perfomance in formal tournament.
All that the most of the competitive players who use Plano Rec. facilities just play practice matches inside the gym at TMRC or Liberty or the game room at Carpenter. But after a while one stagnates and there is very little real improvement if practice matches is all that is wha you are doing mindlessly, usually using the lame excuse "I am just playing for fun" , though you really are not but are in fact quite competitive. Even those older players like me who no longer play competitively but just play for only exersice can still use multi ball training drills for exercise, if unable to play actual practice macthes
Other 4 items needed are
1. Multi-ball training
2. Proper coaching
3. Playing in a weekly of bi-weekly etc league (individual or team)
4. Summer & Winter Camps (mostly for children)
5. Doubles
Though I do not believe a lot of older players may be interested in getting paid coaching, there are 100s of other players in Plano that are definitely interested in getting some form of coaching. Plano Rec. can facilitate this very easily with vert little changes to infrastructure at Carpenter, Oak Point, TMRC (not gym) & SJRC if their policy can be adjusted. This will also generate additional revenue for Plano Rec. if that matters a lot.
All nearby towns Dallas, Irving, Grapevine & Frisco now have coaching camps & Plano itself has coaching camps at QD Academy. Plano Rec. has the best infrastruture available for camps & there interested qualified coaches are definitely avaiable even from coaches at other camps themselves. These other coaching camps 90% Asian children. There must be a way for Plano Rec. to design camps to get more non-Asian children in the sport, but that will never happen, if Palno. Rec.'s objective seems to be to attempt to keep table tennis as a recreational basement "game" of "ping pong" though in fact 90% (older) players who use Plano Rec. are competitive players in the formal (Olympic) sport of table tennis. I am sure there will be lot more non-Asian children who would be interested in a table tennis camp if the camp is designed in such as a way that maybe it is part of a package of 2 or 3 sports or such & Plano. Rec. definitely has the infrastructure for this. On days when half of the gym is used for basketball during when other half is used for table tennis, there are lots of children who would be interested in tabletennis but never do because the competitive table tennis environment is not too welcoming for new players & those children (espcially girls) find it very intimidating. . And worse, Plano Rec. sort of seems to encourage this by treating table tennis as a basement game by handing out plastic rackets despite my offering to donate FREE competition quality sponge rackets if they got rid of those silly plastic toy rackets, which I actually feel offended especially because Plano is high end recreation center. (In all fairness, all rec centers in North America are like this and treat table tennis as a silly game but I would expect a high quality center Plano Rec. to know better)
Leagues can take lot of work or minimal work depending on format. But this is only possible inside the gym at Liberty or TMRC & also on a weekend only since the large number of players would require the use of 10 tables or at least 8 tables & 4 to 5 hours. I have created few leagues in various community centers including one of the largest weekly leagues (50 players a nite) but I would not be interested anymore but can help someone initially if thwy want to do this but I am not sure Plano rec. wants to allow this though I see no reason other than politics
I have explained this in the coaching page as to why players need the above 3 methods to train but the key point is that tables have to be individually barriered to be able to perform multi ball training, to contain the 100s of balls within the same court and not interfere with neighboring courts.
I am not requesting Plano Rec. to barrier the tables inside the gyms at Liberty & TMRC as there are too many tables (8 at Liberty & 12 at TMRC)
I have noticed quite often at Carpenter Park & occasionally at Oak Point as well, where players engage in self training or with a partner or even with a coach but almost none of them have a bucket of balls, which is essential. My understanding is that Plano. rec. does not want players to train at their centers unless it is listed on brochure.
The problem however is that since the tables are not barriered at Oak Point & Carpenter & area outside the gym at TMRC, it is not possible to do multi-ball training
I requested Plano Rec. many times if they would barrier the tables at above three places at above 3 places Oak Point, Carpenter & outside of gym at TMRC) or at least at 2 places (Oak Point & Carpenter), but for whatever reason, they are not interested.
I can understand Plano Rec. charging a person if they use Plano.Rec. facilities to get formal traing from a coach. But what I do not understand is why a player cannot self train themselves or with a partner if barriered courts can be setup at Carpenter, Oak Point & TMRC. To me it then sounds like Plano Rec. does not want the formal sport of (Olympic )table tennis in their Rec Centers but just wants to keep this as only "basement" "game" of "ping pong", even though 80% to 90% of people who engage in this are NOT recreational hackers but are serious competitive athletes just as in other formal Olympic spots such as swimming, gymnastics, volletball, basketball, soccer etc. Granted tabletennis is not at all a serious sport in North America but table tennis definitely is NOT a game in Plano & 90% of players are competitive athletes. Therefore I see no reason why players cannot be allowed be train theselves or with a coach (of course in the case of a coach, the city & the coach work out how city gets reimbursed just like other sports such as swiming etc).
This especially given that it will not cost the city almost nothing to set up the tables with barriers & given that the current set up is a health hazard with a risk of injury even for a recreational hacker, let alone a competitive player.
For those not familiar with multi ball training, below are some videos.
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