Monday afternoon I got home from work and was thinking about ping pong the next day. I've still been going mostly every week to play with the crowd of intense older folks that I've befriended (who are all wicked good, basically), but on Monday I wasn't very excited about going the next day. I love ping pong, but it felt like I was just going and playing on autopilot, not really enjoying it like the epic contests of old.
Of course that meant this weeks round of battles would be more exciting then ever. I've never really tried to "learn" how to play before, I just kind of did whatever felt natural and was reasonably effective, but these people are SERIOUS. There is a method to practice, and when you practice you play one way, focusing on consistency and technique, and then when you play it's all about the win. The thing is, I have finally started getting a handle on the technique and control that they want for practice, which is huge.
It doesn't hurt that I got to play the last half hour with the teacher, who is 77+ and better than anyone. This man just loves ping pong, and that's all there is to it. He is the one that was training back in October for the All-Japan disabled championships (he is nearly deaf). Some people have described me as a monkey when I play ping pong, but he is the only one there who really brings that out to the fullest, making it an all-out go-as-hard-as-you-can sort of battle. Well, he doesn't have to go all-out, but he pushes me to, and the whole time we're laughing and smiling. Perfection in ping pong, more or less.
All of this is basically leading up to this coming Sunday, when apparently there is some sort of tournament in the nearby town of Seihi. They have invited me to go with them to tournaments before, but this is the first time that I will actually be around to go, so it is pretty damn exciting. It'll be the first time I've ever really played in something organized (MRHS Senior Trip doesn't really count), so I will have to do my best to represent the strong tradition that I have participated in, from The Cellar and PPNN, to THE15, T2, all the way to this new chapter in Oshima.
Obviously I'll try and bust out a Kano on some fools, but in all likelihood if I am facing younger versions of the people I play with now it will be me getting the Temple of Doom treatment.
go big or go home love from the future,
-greg.
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