Florida National Senior Champions and Florida Table Tennis News

FLORIDA SENIORS WIN BIG AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT!

Senior Table Tennis players (Age 50 and above) made a tremendous showing at the National Senior Games recently held in Minnesota. Table Tennis players from all over the USA gathered to compete for the medals. Some of the very best senior players were in attendance and our Florida players were sterling!

Our Florida Seniors won 7 GOLD MEDALS, 3 SILVER MEDALS and 9 BRONZE MEDALS in the various Table Tennis Events. Many of the matches were hard fought and there were plenty of upsets in favor of our Florida Seniors. Florida has one of the strongest group of Senior Table Tennis players in the nation. Each year Seniors from all over the state of  Florida participate in local Senior Games in Table Tennis and other sports. The number of players in Table Tennis continues to improve each year with more players in just about all the age categories. Seniors in Florida take Table Tennis seriously, with hours of practice and training leading up to the local tournaments and especially the Florida Senior State Championships for Table Tennis held in December of each year. 

Below is a list of the great CHAMPIONS from Florida in the National Senior Games for Table Tennis. We are proud of each and every one of them for their commitment to excellence in our sport and the fine way they represented the Sunshine State!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 Table Tennis – 19 total medals (7 gold, 3 silver, 9 bronze)

Women’s Singles

55-59

2. Patricia Benitez, Kissimmee

65-69

3. Joan Ruggiero, Jacksonville

75-79

1. Danuta Andrzejewska, Pembroke Pines

80-84

3. Essie Faria, North Miami

Men’s Singles

65-69

1. Lubomir Valek, Pompano Beach

75-79

1. Martin Sundel, Cooper City

80-84

3. Jim Weisbecker, The Villages

Women’s Doubles

65-69

2. Joan Ruggiero, Jacksonville & Mardee Goldberg, The Villages

75-79

1. Suzanna Sanders, Pembroke Pines & Danuta Andrzejewska, Pembroke Pines

80-84

1. Essie Faria, North Miami & Phyllis Hughes

Men’s Doubles

50-54

3. Winston Dowridge, Jacksonville & Garth Jordan, Tampa

60-64

1. Lubomir Valek, Pompano Beach & Ladislav Sranko

Mixed Doubles

50-54

3. Joan Ruggiero, Jacksonville & Garth Jordan, Tampa

75-79

3. Essie Faria, North Miami & Martin Sundel, Cooper City

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LAKELAND TABLE TENNIS ANNOUNCES NEXT TOURNAMENT

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN-$2000.00 PRIZE MONEY!!!

The Lakeland Table Tennis Association has announced the opening of REGISTRATION for the next USATT sanctioned Table Tennis Tournament in Lakeland, Florida. The Florida Orange Blossom Series Summer Classic 2015 will be held on August 14-15, 2015 at the Simpson Park Community Center. Players from all over the state of Florida and several other states are anticipated to enter this major USATT tournament. A maximum of 121 players can enter the wildly popular Colossal Round Robin Event on Saturday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Players are grouped into a maximum of 11, based on their USATT rating or estimated rating. All players in the group will play each other during the day in a hard fought and competitive event. The top four players in each of the possible 11 groups will receive trophies and/or cash prizes, based on their playing record for the day. Up to 24 high quality Butterfly Tables will be available for the stiff competition.

In addition to the Colossal Round Robin Singles held on Saturday, the Friday night events feature the thrilling new sport in the USA of SUPER BIG BALL TABLE TENNIS. This great event is fully sanctioned by the SBBTTA and features the huge 44mm ball and an increased net height. It is a great sport and is growing in popularity in the USA. It is already popular in Japan and growing in support in Germany and other European nations. There is a $50 Cash Prize for first place in this event and trophies for the top four winners. You can visit the SUPER BIG BALL WEBSITE for more information. Paddles are provided for all players who do not have their own. The cost of this event is ONLY $3.00, so come out and have some fun!

The USSTTA (United States Sandpaper Table Tennis Association) is also sanctioned a great Sandpaper Table Tennis Event on Friday night. This is a high skill event which removes the high spin and special rubbers from the game of Table Tennis and relies more on the actual skills of the players. Sandpaper Table Tennis is played to 21 points with players alternating serves at intervals of five, instead of two. Sandpaper paddles are available for any players who do not have one at the tournament. You can find out more about Sandpaper Table Tennis by visiting the USSATT Website.

It is very easy to REGISTER for any or all events at the Lakeland Tournament. Just click on the link below to find out information and to REGISTER ONLINE.

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FLORIDA LOCAL SENIOR GAMES-TABLE TENNIS

If you are age 50 or above, now is your chance to become involved in a great Table Tennis opportunity. Each year Florida has almost 20 local Senior Games in Table Tennis across the state. There are age brackets beginning at 50 and going up for both men and women singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. It is a great chance to travel around the state and enjoy all the local attractions and play Table Tennis. Many seniors do just that! They plan a day trip or a weekend trip for a mini-vacation and enjoy playing table tennis while traveling. It is a fun trip and great exercise for our Seniors.

There are still 10 Local Senior Events for Table Tennis left this year in Florida, and of course the Florida Senior Games Championship in December of this year. Players who finish in the TOP 5 places in the local senior games qualify for the State Championship in Table Tennis. 

Listed below are the 10 available Local Senior Games for Table Tennis in Florida. Sign up for one or all of them and have some great fun as you travel around the Sunshine State!

SUGGESTION: USE THE PHONE NUMBERS LISTED BELOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION

Pensacola Senior GamesSeptember 7- September 20, 2015
Cheryl Fox
3200 East Lakeview Ave
Pensacola, FL 32503
Ph: (850) 426-2562
cfox@cityofpensacola.com
LeagueLineUp.com/PensacolaSeniorGames

Palm Coast & the Flagler Beaches Senior Games
September 12-19, 2015
Roxana Gonzalez
305 Palm Coast Parkway NE
Palm Coast, FL 32137
Ph: (386) 986-2323
rgonzalez@palmcoastgov.com
www.palmcoastgov.com

Tampa Bay Senior Games
September 28- October 16, 2015
Debra Robinson
1605 E Sligh Avenue
Tampa, FL 33617
Ph: (813) 635-3500
robinsonda@hillsboroughcounty.org
www.hillsboroughcounty.org/seniorgames

Jacksonville Senior Games
October 2- October 10, 2015
Mary Ferrell
117 West Duval Street, Suite 220
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Ph: (904) 630-2681
mferrell@coj.net
www.coj.net/seniors

Gainesville Senior Games  REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLEOctober 3-18, 2015
Matt Crimmins
300 East University Avenue, Suite 100
Gainesville, FL 32601
Ph: (352) 338-9300
mcrimmins@gainesvillesportscommission.com
www.gainesvillesportscommission.com

Port Orange Senior Games
October 12- October 18, 2015
Caitlin Jones
4655 City Center Circle
Port Orange, FL 32129
Ph: (386) 506-5854
cjones@port-orange.org
www.port-orange.org/parks

Cutler Bay Senior GamesOctober 13-24, 2015
Colin Wells
10100 SW 200th Street
Cutler Bay, FL 33157
Ph: (305) 238-4166
cwells@cutlerbay-fl.gov
www.cutlerbay-fl.gov

Ormond Beach Senior Games
October 24- October 31, 2015
Gus Soder
PO Box 1948
Ormond Beach, FL 32175
Ph: (386) 676-3291
srgamesob@gmail.com
www.ormondbeach.org

Martin County Senior Games
October 31- November 8, 2015
David Gladding
2401 SE Monterey Road
Stuart, FL 34996
Ph: (772) 353-9234
dgladdin@martin.fl.us
http://econnect.martin.fl.us

Golden Age Games
November 7- November 14, 2015
Kim Eltonhead
P.O. Box 1788
Sanford, FL 32772
Ph: (407) 688-5129
Kim.Eltonhead@sanfordfl.gov
www.sanfordfl.gov

          

Florida Senior Games State Championship
December 5 – 13, 2015
Clearwater, FL
Florida Sports Foundation
Ph: (727) 724-3082
Toll-free: (866) 354-2637
games@flasports.com
www.flasports.com