When? We meet most Thursday eves and play between 5:00 -9:00 pm. We must be sure to stop playing at 9:00 and begin cleanup. Arrive whenever you want and leave whenever you want. Some players show up a few minutes before start time to lend a hand setting up. We greatly appreciate the help, so thank you! Occasionally the club is canceled such as when major holidays land on or near a Thursday, if poor weather makes for hazardous travel, or if some other unforeseen event arises. To avoid any wasted trips always be sure to check the home page of this site to be certain we are in fact meeting on any given evening.
Where? We are proud to be hosted by the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County. Specific directions and contact information can be found here.
Does one have to be a member of the YMCA? What does it cost?
Both the YMCA and our club highly encourage players to sign up for YMCA memberships. The value and benefits of a Y membership extend far beyond this specific location, and joining one facility gives you full access to ALL YMCA facilities nationwide. Additionally, your membership would help support the community as well as youth development programs. Every membership goes a long way toward enabling the YMCA to continue providing for those in need of its services, and by proxy furnishing our table tennis club a venue from which to operate. For those who wish to play table tennis regularly, or even semi-regularly, and also have an interest in some of the other amenities on offer at the Y, a membership is a no-brainer value.
With that said we understand memberships might not make the most sense for all, and particularly for those players who only wish to play occasionally. To facilitate those individuals, a non member account can be easily created. Step by step instructions for both members/non members on how to register and pay can be found by clicking the 'Register' tab on the navigation menu (on left). Or just click here.
Rates per evening:
YMCA members - $5 program fee + $5 surcharge = $10
Non members - $10 program fee + $5 surcharge = $15
The $5 surcharge will be collected by our club down in our playing area before you begin playing. This fee applies to everyone - both YMCA members as well as visitors. This surcharge is primarily used to fund and maintain our tables/equipment, the numerous balls rolling around during playtime (a luxury unique to our club), USATT membership fees, chairs, barriers, this website, as well as our other basic operating costs.
Are there any age requirements or skill prerequisites? No and no. We welcome all ages, and you are virtually guaranteed to encounter young players through senior veterans. You will also find a wide range of skill levels; from total beginners through recreational garage players & basement kings, to trained and seasoned tournament competitors. Most all are friendly and quick to help out the newbies. If you've outgrown or exhausted the players in your own personal circle and are looking to improve your game this is the place to do it.
What equipment do you have and what do I need to bring? You must bring your own paddle. We supply everything else. Currently we have eight tables, plenty of nets, balls, and barriers. You will also notice an unusually large number of balls rolling around all over the place. In this regard we are a bit different from most typical tt clubs, which generally have a single ball per table. We find by supplying a lot of celluloid to our players they spend more time playing and much less time chasing balls. Once you've tried our unorthodox system it is almost difficult to go back! This of course comes at a price as we always lose a significant number of balls each week. Some get broken naturally. Others get murdered in the prime of their youth by a misplaced foot. And others just mysteriously vanish, possibly hitching a ride inside an ignorant pocket or a shouldered gym bag. Be aware our multi-ball environment is a luxury and these commodities do cost money. Please help us out by checking your person before you leave to be sure you aren't adopting any of our babies.
How do things work? Who do I play? Do I need a partner? Everyone who comes to the club has a slightly different personal agenda. Some are very competitive while others are more relaxed and looking only for light exercise. Some come only to play matches and others prefer to refine certain elements of their game through practice drills. Regardless of what your goals are the environment is very casual and fun, and we try our best to cater to all. You are welcome to bring a partner, but don't feel obligated as there are always others to play. Much of the attraction of a tt club is having the opportunity to learn and play against a variety of people and styles. Here's how it works. If you have a willing partner and see an open table, simply grab it and start playing. If all the tables are occupied, peruse the room to find a table with players more or less at the level you'd like to challenge. Place your paddle on the floor leaning up against the center chassis of the table (see photos).
Mid Hudson Valley Table Tennis Club (MHVTTC)
Your leaning paddle indicates you are next in line to play the winner of the ongoing match, very similar to how quarters lined up on a pool table work. The winner of the current match holds the table, and the owner of the waiting paddle steps up as the next challenger.
Other points to consider:
- When you place your paddle against a table please do so quickly and tactfully in between points so as not to disturb or interrupt the standing players during a critical moment!
- If you are practicing on a table (but have not yet begun playing a match) and someone places their paddle against your table, it is an indicator you should start your games soon (within ~5 minutes or so). This just helps move things along. If there are no paddles waiting on your table you can play as long as you wish.
- If you are drilling, coaching or giving a lesson (as opposed to playing matches) and the club is busy (busy = all tables full), please limit your time at the table to the approximate length of a typical match - ~20-25 minutes includes warmup. Often sitting players will be hesitant to place a paddle against a table during a coaching session or if they see two players working on a drill. If you are drilling or giving lessons please be courteous and aware of people waiting on the sidelines and offer the table to them. This keeps things rotating so that everyone gets fair time to play. You can resume your drillwork or lesson once another table becomes free.
- Again, if things are quiet with nobody waiting you may occupy a table as long as you like.
There is already a paddle leaning against the table...can I still place mine up? Yes. You will just have to wait your turn, so remain aware of the order in which the paddles were placed. But it is common to see more than one paddle stacked on a table. You may notice the tables have numbered stickers on the chassis near where you place your paddles. Use these to help stay organized when there are multiple players waiting on the same table.
How many people usually show up? It varies. Occasionally we have a slow evening with 8-10 arriving, and other nights for reasons impossible to predict we will have attendance pushing 30. Generally speaking things slow down considerably during the summer months, but there are always people to play.
'If you don't know the difference between table tennis and ping pong, you've been playing ping pong.'
