Townsville Table Tennis Association

About our Association

Townsville Table Tennis Association is situated at 60 Charters Towers Road, Hermit Park. Townsville. We are just up the road from Officeworks and Ruswin Locksmiths. To gain entrance into the playing hall, just use the stairs opposite the Auto Centre Townsville car yard. Our current hall (Back part of building) was built in 1982. The original hall in the front part was built in 1951. The club was established in 1931 and the first to own it’s own building in the commonwealth. Many champions have developed from the club here in Townsville. We have seasoned veteran and developing junior players representing Queensland at National Championships. Some of our coaches are current and past title holders. Together, we have combined experience to assist adult and junior development in table tennis.

Our hall is air conditioned to beat the summer heat here in Townsville.

In 2008, we installed a new Taraflex Flooring Surface for comfort and improved playing surface. Similar type flooring surface was used at the Beijing Olympics for table tennis and is used for all major tournaments. There are 8 tables with court barriers suitable for ITTF rated tournaments. Canteen, shower and toilet facilities are available for members and casual players.

Visitors are welcome from the local community, regional areas plus overseas. If you are a local, just drop in or contact our secretary for a schedule of our playing times and coaching sessions. If you live overseas, contact us by email on info@ttta.org.au for a game of table tennis while you are visiting North Queensland in Australia. Whether you come from Sydney, Brisbane or Cairns on your first destination in Australia, it is wortwhile including Townsville as a destination on your holiday visit or extended holiday. We have had visitors from Germany, Hong Kong, England, Norway and Japan who have called in to have a social hit. Some have played fixtures whilst attending studies here at James Cook University.

The whole family can join in for a game of table tennis. Most people have played at home or work some time or other. Some good players have come down for a hit to see if their skills are still ok. Kids and adults can learn the game with our beginner coaching sessions. Mature women and young girls can develop and match their skills against the males in this sport with surprising results. Table Tennis is a low impact and sun safe sport. It is good for people of all ages and AWD’s are increasing participation in this exciting sport.

Hitting the ball is a starting point. Controlling the ball with spin and power is a challange on it’s own. Even at 80 + years, you can still give the juniors a good challange once you have mastered some skills and tactics. It can also be used for your cardio workout each week. Play 2 – 4 times a week and it will improve your health,  agility and mental awareness.

Like any exercise, the first step is to get up and start doing it. Once you are there and active, the going gets easier. You may even have some fun.

Well, hope to hear or see you at our club sometime!

About Table Tennis

Table Tennis is a low impact and sun safe sport. It is good for people of all ages, abilities and skills.

Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small paddle. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net.

The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upper-class as an after-dinner parlour game. It has been suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed by British military officers in India in around 1860s or 1870s, who brought it back with them.

Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes around 220 member associations. It was in 1926 that London hosted the first official World Championships. Table tennis has also been an Olympic sport since 1988, with several event categories.

Play is fast and demands quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent’s options, giving the hitter a great advantage. When doing so the hitter has a better chance of scoring if the spin is successful.

BASIC RULES OF TABLE TENNIS AS PER THE ITTF

The Table
The upper surface of the table, known as the playing surface, shall be rectangular, 2.74m long and 1.525m wide, and shall lie in a horizontal plane 76cm above the floor. The playing surface shall not include the vertical sides of the tabletop. The playing surface may be of any material and shall yield a uniform bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it from a height of 30cm. The playing surface shall be uniformly dark coloured and matte, but with a white side line, 2cm wide, along each 2.74m edge and a white end line, 2cm wide, along each 1.525m edge. The playing surface shall be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net running parallel with the end lines, and shall be continuous over the whole area of each court.  For doubles, each court shall be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white centre line, 3mm wide, running parallel with the side lines; the centre line shall be regarded as part of each right half-court.

The Net Assembly
The net assembly shall consist of the net, its suspension and the supporting posts, including the clamps attaching them to the table. The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25cm high, the outside limits of the post being 15.25cm outside the side line. The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing surface.  The bottom of the net, along its whole length, shall be as close as possible to the playing surface and the ends of the net shall be attached to the supporting posts from top to bottom.

The Ball
The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm. The ball shall weigh 2.7g. The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt.

The Racket

• The racket can be any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid.
• The surface covering material shall be matt and bright red on one side and black on the other.
• At least 85% of the blade thickness shall be of natural wood.

Definitions

• A rally is the period which the ball is in play.
• A let is a rally of which the result is not scored.
• A point is a rally of which the result is scored.
• The server is the player due to strike the ball first in the rally.
• The receiver is the player due to strike the ball second in a rally.
• The ball shall be regarded as passing over or around the net assembly if it passes anywhere other then between the net and the net post or between the net and the playing surface.

The Service
Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server’s stationary free hand. The server shall then project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm after leaving the palm of the free hand and then falls without touching anything before being struck. As the ball is falling the server shall strike it so that it touches first his or her court and then, after passing over or around the net assembly, touches directly the receiver’s court; in doubles, the ball shall touch successively the right half court of server and receiver. From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the level of the playing surface and behind the server’s end line, and it shall not be hidden from the receiver by the server or his or her doubles partner or by anything they wear or carry. As soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm and hand shall be removed from the space between the ball and the net.

The space between the ball and the net is defined by the ball, the net and its indefinite upward extension. It is the responsibility of the player to serve so that the umpire or the assistant umpire can be satisfied that he or she complies with the requirements of the Laws, and either may decide that a service is incorrect. If either the umpire or the assistant umpire is not sure about the legality of a service he or she may, on the first occasion in a match, interrupt play and warn the server; but any subsequent service by that player or his or her doubles partner which is not clearly legal shall be considered incorrect. Exceptionally, the umpire may relax the requirements for a correct service where he or she is satisfied that compliance is prevented by physical disability.

The Return
The ball, having been served or returned shall be struck so that it passes over or around the net assembly and touches the opponents court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.

The Order of Play
In singles the server shall make a first service and the receiver shall make a return and thereafter alternately shall each make a return.

In doubles, the server shall first make a service, the receiver shall then make a return, the partner of the server shall then make a return, the partner of the receiver shall then make a return and thereafter each player in turn in that sequence shall make a return.

A Point
Unless the rally is a let, a player shall score a point

• if an opponent fails to make a correct service;
• if an opponent fails to make a correct return;
• if, after he or she has made a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being struck by an opponent;
• if the ball passes over his or her court or beyond his or her end line without touching his or her court, after being struck by an opponent;
• if an opponent obstructs the ball;
• if an opponent deliberately strikes the ball twice in succession;
• if an opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface does not comply with the requirements of 2.4.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5;
• if an opponent, or anything an opponent wears or carries, moves the playing surface;
• if an opponent, or anything an opponent wears or carries, touches the net assembly;
• if an opponent’s free hand touches the playing surface;
• if a doubles opponent strikes the ball out of the sequence established by the first server and first receiver;
• as provided under the expedite system (2.15.4).
• if both players or pairs are in a wheelchair due to a physical disability and
• his or her opponent does not maintain a minimum contact with the seat or cushion(s), with the back of the thigh, when the ball is struck;
• his or her opponent touches the table with either hand before striking the ball;
• his or her opponent’s footrest or foot touches the floor during play.

as provided under the order of play (2.8.3).

A Game
A game shall be won by a player or pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when the game shall be won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.

A Match
A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.