Pacific Northwest Divisionals Highlights Youth Table Tennis

By Michael Reff
Press Committee Chair

There was an abundance of divisionals this month for college table tennis, but something truly magical happened in the Pacific Northwest Divisional, owing largely in part to Angela Guan’s initiative and NCTTA sponsor Paddle Palace’s support.

Guan, an elite table tennis player who has graciously given back in multiple volunteer roles, one of which being NCTTA’s PNW divisional director, was able to negotiate with Paddle Palace for them not to charge a fee for hosting the event. In exchange, Paddle Palace asked that their junior teams be able to participate in this typically college-exclusive event.

Guan obliged, and a sort of interscholastic ping pong diplomacy arose, with “3 junior teams, including one women’s team, with our 7 college teams!”
Guan said the division became so large that they “actually ended up splitting into 2 subdivisions.”

These junior teams competed against the Coed B and Women’s teams, and Guan hopes that they will be “inspired to keep playing TT.”
NCTTA celebrates this exemplary, friendly, and competitive clash of the table tennis generations and sincerely hopes that more such events will occur in the future!

To check out the latest results of all the divisionals that have occurred, please click here:
https://www.nctta.org/content/results

(Team pic of PNW divisional at Paddle Palace Club)