When my dad was still alive, he went and played bridge at the bridge club every day. “I like the competition,” he told me. I found that interesting, since he got along so well with everybody. He still liked to win. He would get discouraged when he didn’t play well. Well into his eighties, he was still winning tournaments, and traveled around the Bay Area to attend them.
I think of him often when I am playing matches in table tennis. I am not used to competing, because as a dancer, we all had the job. It was more important to cooperate and work together. There weren’t winners and losers. It has surprised me how people’s personalities can change once you start keeping score. Some players’ eyes start blazing.
I am happy if I play well. My main goal is to improve. Staying calm, being a good sport, and learning how to keep score and break ties are what I’m working on right now. I find that the masters stand quietly and surprise people with their ease of technique. They don’t worry about mistakes. They are non reactive. Off the table training makes a huge difference, too. Strength, agility, and speed can help make up for technical deficiencies, especially when competing with seniors.
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