Tournament of Champions

This past weekend we held the first Annual Woodside Adult Ping Pong Tournament. While the event participation was somewhat light, the competition was fierce. There were a number of good matches leading up to the semi-finals and finals. In the end it was the women of Woodside that ruled the day, showing the men that if we weren’t taking them seriously, we should have. There was one particularly humorous site during the championship match, and I wish we had gotten it on camera, where the two finalists were battling it out while a half of dozen defeated men watched from the sidelines.

Karen Kovalcik defeated Anthony Mannarino in one semi final match, two games to one. I made it to the other semi final match and found myself facing the opponent that had been declared numerous times to be the favorite in the tournament. And even though most of that pre tournament talk had come out of her own mouth, I found that she was able to back it up with a fierce defensive game that nullified my offensive one. Sharon Ziemer proceeded to beat me, handily, in a best of three games series that placed her up against Karen for the finals.

The championship match ended up between a pair of opponents that had remarkably similar games. I was amazed at some of the volleys they had. Improbable shots were countered with impossible returns, which were sometimes concluded with what could almost be considered miraculous finishes. While Sharon beat Karen in two straight games for the championship, the defensive duel was riveting, and quite a show.

I’d like to thank those that helped put this together, those that loaned us their tables, the participants that put on quite a show and especially Dave Wollman. Dave wasn’t available to compete, but he gave a good seven hours of his time, and the use of his truck in helping me pick up, and then return, all of the tables.

As the day ended, I was happy to know that I had 365 days until the next tournament. I’d better get practicing now.

Say a prayer for somebody today.