| 80,000 kids participating in table
tennis as a part of their school curriculum
– 30,000 kids in 4 different states,
personally introduced to the sport by Newgy
Industries Representatives – 6,000 or more
participants in each of the last two Pong –
Master School Challenge Table Tennis Tournaments
– Over 200 different elementary
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education teachers in 20 different states
teaching the Newgy table tennis curriculum
– Over 200,000 travel miles logged in
promoting the sport during the past two years
– Whew!
These numbers were attained through a
grassroots program developed by Newgy
Industries, Inc. This grassroots development
effort focuses on introducing table tennis into
the physical education classrooms of America's
elementary schools.
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In
August of 1997, Joseph E. Newgarden, Jr.,
President of Newgy Industries, retained the
services of Barney D. Reed to formulate and
lead a table tennis promotional effort. By
adapting a school visitation effort that he had
used while coaching in Sweden, Mr. Reed
developed a table tennis promotional effort
that has been completely embraced by the US
Educational System. His hook – table
tennis without tables.
The
program developed by Mr. Reed for Newgy,
consists of "off table" activities that allow
children to develop basic striking skills
useful in all sports. By moving the sport "off
table" Mr. Reed found that most teachers became
interested and responsive in
teaching
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| table tennis
because striking skills are a basic component of
most elementary physical education curriculums.
This fact was never more apparent than at the
1998 Tennessee Association of Health, Physical
Education, Recreation and Dance Conference held
on the campus of Middle Tennessee State
University. Newgy Industries presented its
Elementary Striking Skills Curriculum to a forum
of near 200 physical educators, with nearly all
of the attendees taking home a copy of the
curriculum. From this one conference alone, Newgy
received invitations to present it's striking
skills program in over 80 schools throughout the
state of Tennessee. Newgy was also invited to
perform teacher in-services for Nashville,
Knoxville, and Memphis area teachers. |
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The
Newgy Program is simple. Teachers teach their
students ball control skills that lead the kids
to the adult sport of table tennis. The program
uses a three tiered progression in developing
the students' skills.
After learning the shakehands grip and simple
ball control exercises, students first begin by
working on grip and stroke practice while
sitting on the floor. They work in pairs,
controlling forehand and backhand strokes for
short distances across the floor. In the
beginning stages, one partner rolls the ball
about five feet across the floor to his waiting
partner, who strikes forehand and backhand
strokes in a controlled manner to his
partner.
Second, from rolling the ball on the floor, the
partners move to standing. While standing they
practice dropping and striking the ball to
their partners. From here they move to striking
the ball against the wall. It is here that they
begin to incorporate a succession of shots by
playing the ball after it rebounds from the
wall.
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After students move through the sitting and
standing striking skills, they advance to fun and
challenging "play stations". These stations are
designed to be fun arcade-like skill areas that
allow the students to experience further
development an understanding of ball control.
Students play in such stations as "Foursquare
Pong", where they play a traditional foursquare
game using their ping-pong rackets and balls.
Another such station is "Target Pong" where the
students drop and strike ping-pong balls at
targets set up a short distance away.
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| The program is
uniquely designed in that it allows teachers to
teach the basics of the sport without any
previous experience in table tennis. A majority
of the skills emphasized in this program focus on
development without using a table tennis table.
This allows children to participate in the sport
on a level that encourages developmentally
appropriate learning. Further, the program allows
teachers to teach the basics of the sport without
having to purchase expensive, space - occupying
equipment. |
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The
Newgy Program provides a solid foundation for
table tennis development because it provides
physical educators with instructional methods
that compliment their teaching needs. The USATT
has contacted Newgy about working together to
promote this program on the national level.
With a little luck and much hard work, the
future of table tennis in America will greatly
improve. Stay tuned!
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