Ping Pong Club Would Be Fun Addition to Lunchtime Activities

Dimond High School is full of all sorts of clubs. From fun clubs such as Waffle Club, or Spikeball Club, to meaningful clubs like Women’s Club or Native Leadership Club, Dimond has it all. However there is one club Dimond students believe should be added to the list.

  Ping pong is a popular activity played by many teenagers across the country. Most ping pong tables are inside, but there are some around different parts of Anchorage.  Ping pong is a fun activity that can encompass many people.

Dimond Senior, and avid ping pong player Larry Burke, said, “Ping pong really fun to play with friends. Sometimes on the weekends my friends get together and have little tournaments.” 

Another Dimond Senior, Tyler Graeber, said, “It’s fun when they get super competitive.”

Graeber said, “We have a ping pong table at my house, so I think I learned when I was about 10 years old.”

  Burke said, “My dad taught me in my garage, and we still play every now and then. My goal is to beat my dad, that would be the peak of my career.”

However no matter what age or skill level you are, you can still enjoy ping pong. 

Ping pong is such a versatile sport because it can be played by young children for fun, or more competitively by older people. 

Dimond Sophomore Joseph Butzke said, “I learned to play when I was about four or five at my grandparents’ house in Massachusetts. My siblings and I still play with them, and it’s one of our favorite ways to spend time together.”

Ping pong is similar to tennis and other racquet sports. Once you learn to play one of these sports, it is very easy to pick up another one of them.

On Wednesdays during lunch, Dimond students can play spike ball during lunch. Spikeball Club is really successful and always have an impressive turnout.

 I think if students were given the opportunity, they would enjoy ping pong club. It’s a great way to get exercise and hang out with friends during lunch time. 

Games can also vary in duration, for example, they can go to 11 or 21. This gives students time to play a shorter game and have time to eat lunch. 

In Dimond Physical Education teacher Christine Fisher’s first aid class on one of the gym days, students choose from a couple different activities like ping pong, racquetball, spikeball or corn hole. Ping pong was definitely the most popular activity to play.  

Ping pong club would be easy to start because Dimond already has access to three ping pong tables. I think teachers might even enjoy getting away from their usual setting and try something new. 

Burke said, “Ping pong club is a really good idea, and I would definitely join.”

Clubs are also a great way to meet new friends. Some of my best friends have been made through sports and clubs.” 

Dimond Senior Alexis Ruiz said, “I think ping pong club would bring many different groups of people together. It would also be fun to play against people that are at the same level as you so you can improve.”

If other schools have ping pong clubs, we could play in tournaments against other teams. I think ping pong is underrated an underrated sport, but many people would enjoy if they had the chance. 

Until the club has started, players can get their friends together and enjoy some quality time working on their back hands and drop shots.