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Table Tennis Unites Syracuse Community in Fun and Fitness Table Tennis Unites Syracuse Community in Fun and Fitness

By Whitney Williams

Bailee: One sport in Syracuse is bringing the central New York community together…one player at a time.
Our Whitney Williams tells us how table tennis impacts the lives of those who play.

Whitney: Back and forth. Back and forth. This is an essential part of the game. But to these players, table tennis is more than just some past-time game.

Tom Maguire: It’s a game for life.

Whitney: A lot of these players have been playing for decades, as much as…

Maguire: Sixty years.

Whitney: And the lessons they learn from it trickle into their everyday lives.
Maguire: It gives you tremendous confidence.

Shaughnessy Moody: So just being able to endure and adapt because being able to adapt to different situations helps you become a more well minded individual.”)

Whitney: I’ve been spending some time at two popular athletic centers in Syracuse. The past time athletic club. And now I’m here at the Rock center, where players meet to practice every week. And the fascinating thing that I’ve realized about table tennis from my two visits is how it brings people from Central New York and beyond together, regardless of age, gender, skill set and background.

Tim Saka:It can be an elementary school student, or it can be an adult senior. It can be somebody from Africa, somebody from Canada. I am myself from Turkey.”)

Whitney: But eleven-year-old Hunter Zheng likes the sport for other reasons.

Hunter Zheng: It’s, like, pretty strategy based. So it’s not just the strongest person wins.

Whitney: And Hunter’s right. Research has shown that table tennis uses multiple muscle systems and brain networks which stimulate the brain more than any other type of exercise.
This means table tennis may be useful in preventing cognitive decline and dementia.

Moody:it has that chess-like mindset. You just try to outmaneuver your opponent. And out smart them. It’s like a mind game, you know.

But whether they were playing for health benefits or training for a tournament, the one thing all the players agreed on was that-

Averell Manes: It’s so stinking fun.

Whitney Williams, NCC News”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)– The rhythmic sound of table tennis balls ricocheting across tables is more than just background noise—it’s the heartbeat of a vibrant community.

At athletic centers in Syracuse, like the Pastime Athletic Club and the Rock Center, players of all ages and backgrounds converge to participate in this sport.

“It’s a game for life. Many games you can’t really play your whole life. You’re going to get to the point where it’s kind of dicey for you to play. But, table tennis is different,” said Tom Maguire who’s been playing for six decades.

For Maguire and other players, table tennis offers not only physical activity but also valuable life lessons.

“It gives you tremendous confidence,” said Maguire. “If you can face a good player and win, you’ll walk away from that table thinking I can’t believe I just beat that guy.”

On the other hand, Shaughnessy Moody said it teaches him endurance and adaptability.

“Being able to adapt to different situations helps you to become a more well-minded individual,” said Moody.

Tim Saka, who’s originally from Turkey, and now living in Syracuse, said he loves table tennis for its ability to bring together individuals from diverse walks of life.

“It can be an elementary school student, or it can be an adult senior. It can be somebody from Africa, somebody from Canada,” said Saka. “You can see anybody at that table.”

Eleven-year-old Hunter Zheng, who’s been playing for four years, learned the sport from his father during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I like it because it’s pretty strategy-based. So it’s not just the strongest person wins,” said Zheng.

Interestingly,  table tennis engages multiple muscle systems and brain networks which can have a greater positive influence on cognitive function, compared to other exercises such as dancing, walking and gymnastics, according to one study.

Another study reported that table tennis may therefore be a useful tool to help prevent cognitive decline and dementia.

Moody compared table tennis to a game of chess and stressed the mental acuity required to succeed.

“It’s a mind game,” said Moody. “You’re just trying to outmaneuver your opponent and outsmart them.”

Despite the varied motivations for playing, the players at the two athletic centers unanimously agreed that table tennis is undeniably fun and addictive.

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