Table Tennis Tournament Crowns 2019 Champion

For the 37th year in a row, local ping pong hopefuls met in the Youth Center’s Multipurpose Room from 5 to 7 p.m. on August 30 to compete for the coveted title of table tennis champion. The annual Table Tennis Tournament, a Labor Day weekend staple since 1982, consisted of 19 competitors of various ages and levels of experience, including a small doubles bracket. For some, the tournament was a unique way to spend a Friday night. “I’m just here for fun,” said Asa Dawson, 18. This year marked Dawson’s first time competing in the adult bracket, but other participants are far from new to the game of ping pong. “I started (playing) when I was about 12. It’s a lifetime game and sport,” said Frank White, 64. White helps to organize the Greenbelt Table Tennis Club, a community of players that meets every Thursday in the Youth Center from 7 to 9:45 p.m. Like the tournament, the club is open to anyone, and boasts both new and long-time participants. One such player is John Anderson, who has had his fair share of tournament victories. “Been playing here 15 years. Every year,” said Anderson, 61. Competitor Roger Foltz ultimately came out on top, earning both the title and a trophy for his table tennis talents. Despite losing, routine participants like Anderson have a non-competitive reason to return next Labor Day. “(Because of) these guys here,” Anderson said as he gestured to the room full of players. “They’re all my friends.” Kayla Kozak is a University of Maryland journalism student reporting for the News Review.