Ping Pong Club a hit at WHS

Pictured, from left, are Pool A winners of the
WHS Ping Pong Tournament, from left, Ryan
Stites (first place), Austin Nunnery (second
place) and Chase Whelan (third place).

It’s been an Olympic sport since 1988, and all it requires is decent hand-eye coordination, a paddle and a little plastic ball.

There is definitely strong interest in table tennis at Waterloo High School, as evidenced by the 55 students who were members of the WHS Ping Pong Club at the school this recently completed school year.

“There are a lot of kids who are into it,” said Dave Stites, a golf coach at WHS who helped organize the club during the 2012-13 school year at the urging of a few students. “It’s really catching on.”

Stites is a self-proclaimed ping pong fanatic who has been playing the game since he was just 9 years old. With the school’s blessing, the WHS Ping Pong Club meets every other Wednesday morning as part of the school’s activity period.

Although it took all school year to complete it, a double-elimination tournament was held to determine a table tennis playing champion at WHS. Less experienced players in the club were placed in the “B” pool while the more experienced ping-pongers were sent to the “A” pool.

Six tables were set up, and the year-long double elimination tournament featured 35 students in Pool A and 20 students in Pool B. The tournament was played above the main basketball gym during the 30-minute activity period.

“I even played in the tourney as well,” Stites said.

This year’s winners were freshman Ryan Stites — Dave’s son — in Pool A, and Dawson Holden in Pool B.

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Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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