LET’S NOT ASK WHAT THE USATT CAN DO FOR US
LET’S ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE USATT
By now it’s a known fact in no uncertain way that when the sport of Table Tennis in the United States succeeds ONLY then do we all succeed. The sport is bigger than all of us combined.
Quite recently it has come to my attention through communication by way of Facebook and other forms of social media that some people are of the opinion that our store is not in order and that we do not have a product to sell so, until these things can be remedied, we have to distance ourselves from even thinking of MARKETING this sport.
I beg to differ with this kind of rhetoric that has kept us in a dormant state for so long. I would like to point out first and foremost that our organization was established in 1933. It’s now 2014 so we are talking about 81 years in existence.
OUR FOUNDATION:
We have a Headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO
We have a National Governing Body (NGB)
We have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
We have a Board of Directors (BOD)
We have an Annual Budget
We have a Staff
We need to BUILD on our above mentioned foundation, and our valued product (which of course is Table Tennis) and at the same time incorporate ideas and programs that would create activity, competition and enthusiasm among members to help produce significant growth and in the process increase our membership base.
I CARE
When I was a member of the BOD many times I made presentations and spoke about a PLAN to implement Leagues and establish State Associations that are affiliated to the USATT with specific functions, because this is the system and concept that all major table tennis powers throughout the entire world have in place (this believe it or not met with a lot of opposition). So In 2002 on my own, I implemented the North East Region Table Tennis League which grew from 21 teams the first season to thirty teams the second season. Five States participated including four teams that came from Puerto Rico to compete. My objective was to promote this concept so it would grow from City vs City, State vs State, Region vs Region and ultimately the goal was to establish the United States of America National Table Tennis League as well as to mobilize the 20 odd million players in the Eastern Region.
All major sports in America operate this way…Basketball, Baseball, Football … it’s team vs team… this is what produces growth, Team Spirit, Pride and Tradition . Unequivocally, NATIONAL LEAGUES ON VARIOUS LEVELS OF PLAY WORK AND LEAGUES ARE IMPERATIVE.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t produce the funding to continue BUT one day, you will see the resumption of the North East Region Table Tennis League.
MY DREAM IS FOR TABLE TENNIS AND THE USATT TO SUCCEED