GREAT MID-FLORIDA TOUR TOURNAMENT IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA
Tournament officials in Lakeland were excited by the huge turnout of players from all over Florida and other states and International connections. Brad Woodington, the President of Lakeland Table Tennis Association, said it was one of the better tournament of the year. A total of 114 players registered for the various events at the two-day sanctioned tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the USATT , SBBTTA (Super Big Ball Table Tennis Association and USSTTA (United States Sandpaper Table Tennis Association).
You can view the results of this great tournament on the main page of the Lakeland Table Tennis Association Website: LAKELAND TT WEBSITE
CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS WINNERS
Kit Jeerapaet, Sutanit Tangyingyong, Richard Siz, Andres Ng
ELITE CLASS WINNERS
Sherlyn Barvie-Perez, Eric Penny,Jerry Monopoli, Michael Chen
MASTERS CLASS WINNERS
Trent Tedesco, Zachary Johnston, Arun Khatri, (Daniel Copeland-no picture)
EXPERT CLASS WINNERS
Gordon Weinblatt, Ryan Cole, Richard Amayo, Tyson McCoy
ADVANCED CLASS WINNERS
Edward Loyola, Hugo Montesinos, John Reynolds, Harry Muller
PRESTIGE CLASS WINNERS
Ken Hadley, Patrick Fort, Steve Simon, Thuan Dinh
CHALLENGER CLASS
Jeff Steele, Darvin Barry, Ali Alsaffar, Juliana Milanov
COMPETITOR CLASS
Keith Hanley, Joseph Cariglio, Zane McDaniel, Lee Danielson
PROGRESSIVE CLASS
Bruce Ward, Eli Ofek, Shrey Agarwal, Phillip Simmons (No picture)
SUPER BIG BALL WINNERS
Arun Khatri, Patrick Lui, David Hou, Roman Kats
USSTTA SANDPAPER WINNERS
Victor Marik, David Hou, Olena Korotych, Jen-sung Tan
DOUBLES CHAMPIONHIP WINNERS
Team-Monopoli/Chirinos Team-Francisco/Graham
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THANKS TO JOHN WEAVER, LAKELAND TABLE TENNIS COACH
FOR SHARING THE ARTICLE BELOW
Ping pong will help your brain
Virginian-Pilot correspondent
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Pingpong is now a matter of local, scientific record.
Westminster-Canterbury residents were the subjects.
Dr. Scott Sautter of Hampton Roads Neuropsychology spearheaded the study, titled "Does playing table tennis improve brain fitness in older adults?"
"The best thing for your brain is aerobic exercise," said the neuropsychologist who serves on the board of directors for the Table Tennis Charity Foundation. The nonprofit organization will host its seventh annual Pingpong for Charity events Sept. 11 and 12 at the Virginia Beach Field House.
Lago Mar resident Ken Lees started the foundation to raise awareness about the benefits of the game, and raise money for its charitable partners.
Lees met Sautter several years ago, and asked him: "Scott, do you play pingpong?"
Sautter, who evaluates patients to determine any memory problems, said Lees piqued his interest in the game, which requires good hand-eye coordination, thinking skills, focus and movement back and forth.
Sure enough there were studies that pointed to therapeutic benefits not just for those dealing with brain issues, but for anyone. Playing requires thinking, flexibility, and speed, Sautter said.
"You are exercising different parts of the brain," he said.
Sautter serves as Westminster-Canterbury's brain fitness director, where he developed a voluntary wellness brain health program.
The clinical study was conducted with 26 randomly selected residents between the ages of 72 and 96.
They answered 14 questions about activities of daily living, quality of life, and cognitive function; and they evaluated whether table tennis helped improve memory, concentration, social engagement and energy level.
The results proved the hypothesis true: older adults who played regularly reported a better quality of life.
Sautter accompanies Lees on presentations in the community.
"It allows me the opportunity to bring neuroscience to daily life," he said.
Several local schools and senior living communities have implemented table tennis programs, and thanks to the foundation's sponsors have received playing tables at no charge.
Joan and Pete Bondi, Jean Corletto, and Dick Binford are members of the retirement community's table tennis club, the W.C. Pongers. Three of the four participated in the study.
Corletto, a retired nurse, organizes the weekly games and festive in-house tournaments. Experience level doesn't matter, and playing is great exercise, she said.
"You really do have to move," Corletto said.
Between 20 and 30 play weekly during the fall and winter.
"Croquet players are looking for something to do in colder weather," said retired Navy Rear Adm. Pete Bondi. Many residents keep active with outdoor croquet golf in the summer, he said.
Binford, a retired Air Force colonel, moved to Westminster-Canterbury in December and heard about the study's findings.
"It piqued my interest right away as something to enjoy as well as being beneficial," he said. Table tennis can get the heart pumping, he attested.
Bondi said the game helps with balance, too.
"That's a big problem for seniors," he said. Bondi was drawn to the sport for the competition, sociability, and that occasional glass of celebratory wine that adds to the fun, he said with a smile.
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