South Bend Table Tennis Club hosts 59th annual tennis tournament
SAINT JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. --What started in the IUSB game room 47 years ago had grown into a tournament that brings in people across the country.
This weekend is the 59th Annual Butterfly St. Joseph Valley Open Table Tennis Tournament where over 180 to 300 people are expected to compete.
“It’s a sport for the whole ages, you can always play. Literally, we have had many over 80 and 90 aged players play at our club weekly. It's good for the mental and eye-coordination. It keeps you active,” President of South Bend Table Tennis Club Brad Balmer said.
The South Bend Table Tennis Club meets four days a week and open for all ages with Thursdays nights devoted to anyone wishing to compete at a higher level and Tuesday classes designated for juniors.
“First thing to do is check out our website. Then, come on down to the Beacon Resource Center on Lincolnway West in South Bend Saturday and Sunday 3 to 6 to check it out,” Balmer said.
Dion Payne-Miller says he and his brother walked in one day and played for the whole evening. Immediately, he was hooked as he says, he loves the sport and competing. Now, he serves as one of the coaches for the club.
“One of the cool things about table tennis is the diversity. You meet all types of people from all over. It's just one of those things that bring people together. The most important thing is having is having fun and you get to get better in the process,” Payne-Miller said.
Regardless of age, Payne-Miller encourages coming out for a fun time to socialize and exercise.
“It’s one of those sports that you can do for the rest of your life whether your 6 or 96, it doesn’t matter. It's a family-friendly sport. People come together to have some fun. It's really good exercise. The health benefits are amazing. It's just a really, really fun sport. Once people start playing and they actually start seeing that you don’t have to be some top level player to come and play, they’ll really see the value of the sport,” Payne-Miller said.