Retaining New Players in Table Tennis

• What is the club atmosphere like? As an experienced player myself, who usually turns up at a club or tournament, says hi to my friends, plays some matches, and then leaves, I tend to forget about this aspect of the sport. But looking at it from a new player's eyes - is your club a fun place to hang out? Are the off-court players chatting away to all and sundry and having a good laugh? Or is everybody grim and in little cliques of friends? Forget about the table tennis for a second - imagine it's a basket weaving class or something similar - are the people in your club good company? Are you? Let's face it, no matter how much you like the sport, who wants to hang out with a pack of miserable curmudgeons every time you play? Ugh.
• Does anyone else show an interest in you and your game? Nothing beats having a mentor/friend who helps you along the way, and takes genuine pleasure in your improvement. I remember how happy I was as a junior when a top local player or coach took the time to congratulate me on some aspect of my game, or a good win. It's that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you realize that someone more experienced took the time to notice and cared enough to mention it to you.

Conclusion

• 1
• 2