GIRLS ACTIVITY PE TABLE TENNIS UNIT: HISTORY, BASIC RULES AND TERMINOLOGY TERMINOLOGY INTRODUCTION
Table tennis, or ping pong, is an enjoyable sport but it can be highly competitive. Each player tries to outscore his opponent through the use of skill, strength, speed, stamina and strategy. The game is somewhat similar to tennis, where players hit the ball back and forth over a net. The game is played on a table surface with the use of paddles and a ping-pong ball. The objective in the game is to be the first to score 11 points. Table tennis is a game played by many people around the world. Games of table tennis are played in schools as well as homes. People young and old alike enjoy enjoy this fast-paced and actionpacked game. For the serious players, there there are many associations and organizations that sponsor competition. In addition, table tennis is an Olympic sport. HISTORY
Great Britain is considered to be the home of table tennis. In 1891, a patent for the game was registered by Charles Barter of Gloucestershire, England. James Gibb, who was a founder member of the Amateur Athletics Association, brought some toy celluloid balls back from a trip to America, and used them to replace the cork or rubber balls which had previously been used for the new game. The new balls were immediately popular, and several manufacturers began to market equipment with a variety of new names, such as 'Flim Flam', 'Whiff Waff', and also 'Table Tennis'. When new rackets were introduced, introduced, which were hollow and covered with vellum, James Gibb suggested the name 'Ping pong' from the 'ping' sound the ball made when it made contact with the racket. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was formed in 1926. In 1933, the United States Table Tennis Association was founded and is the governing body for the sport. In 1988, at the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, table tennis was featured for the first time. STATE OF PLAY
The game is won when one person scores 11 or more points and is two points ahead of his or her opponent. In other words, you can win with a score of 11-9 but not 11 -10. If there is less than a two point difference, the game continues until one player is ahead by two points. Scoring: The server must successfully serve serve the ball to the other other side of the table or lose a point to the opponent. opponent. Once the ball is in play, either player can score a point, if the other player is unable to return the ball successfully to the other side of the table. Serving: An official game is started by a coin toss by an official. The winner of the toss has the option of serving, serving, receiving or choice of table side. The served ball is held in an uncapped hand, with fingers fingers together and thumbs free. The ball must rise in the air at least 16 cm (6 ½ inches), and is struck before it hits the server’s table. After hitting the server’s table, t he ball must travel over th e net into the opponent’s court. Let serves are when the served ball hits the net and lands appropriately on the side of the receiver’s table. A person will not lose lose or gain points by making let serves. A re -serve is made after a let serve. If a serve touches the net and stays stays on the side of the server, it is a miss, and a point goes goes to the opponent. opponent. BASIC RULES
After the deciding serve, each player will serve TWO points each. The server in singles can serve anywhere: short, long, straight, or cross-court. Only in doubles do you have to serve diagonally from your right court to the opponent’s right court. If you volley the ball while it is still above the table surface, you lose the point. If you or your clothing touches the net or post during the rally, you lose the point. If you hit the ball twice in succession, you lose the point. If your shot hits a wall, the ceiling, or misses the opponent’s side of the table, you lose the point. Change ends of the table after each game. The player who serves at t he beginning of a game is the receiver at the beginning of the next game. th After the first player scores the 11 point in the final game of the match, match, change ends. If you forgot to change at 5, then change as soon as you realize it. If the score is tied at 10-10 (ca lled deuce), alternate serves until one player as a 2 point lead. Shake hands after every match to show good sportsmanship.
Doubles play differs from singles play in the following respects: Service must be from the right hand court into the opponent’s right hand court. Each partner must hit or return alternate shots.
Each player receives service for 2 points. The sequence of one specific partner hitting to one specific opponent must be changed after each game and when one side reaches 10 in the deciding game of the match.
TERMINOLOGY
a)
Let serves —Served ball hits the net and la nds appropriately on the side of the receiver’s table.
b)
Match—is a set of games.
c)
Forehand—A shot made from the right side of a right- handed player’s body. (Vice versa for left- handers); the opposite of backhand.
d)
Rally—The period at which the ball is in play.
e)
Cross-court—diagonally.
f)
Volley—To volley a ball means to hit it in the air without first letting it bounce.
g)
Smash—Overhead shot, hit down sharply into opponent’s court.
h)
Drop—A softly hit shot that drops just over the net.
i)
Drive—A low, fast, sidearm shot.
j)
Clear—A stroke hitting the shuttle high and deep into the opponent’ s court.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING
The equipment required to play table tennis are a ping-pong table, a net, paddles and ping-pong balls. The following is a summary of official table tennis rules on equipment used. The Table: The table should be 274 cm x 152.5 cm (9 ft x 5 ft) in size and 76 cm (2 ft 6 in) above the floor. It is usually painted with a dark green matte finish and has a 2 cm (3/4 in) white line along each edge. There is also a 3 mm (1/8 in) white line down the center of the table for use in doubles games.
The Net: The net divides the playing surface into two courts of equal size. The net should be 15.25 cm (6 in) high, with the post being at most 15.25 (6 in) outside the side lines. The bottom of the net should be as close as possible to the playing surface. Ball: The ball should have a diameter of 40 mm, weigh 2.7 grams and be made of celluloid or similar plastic material. It can be white or orange. Paddle: The paddle or racquet may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid. A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either pimpled rubber or sandwich rubber having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 4 mm. The surface should be flat and pimples distributed evenly to avoid unusual returns.
