BADMINTON

Today I decided to return to the same place that I had played table tennis to try another net game called Badminton.  It was definitely hard to walk back into the Hawthorne Rec Center after embarrassing myself last week on "the table" but I thought surely this might be better.  After all, the birdie is a little slower and easier to track, right??  Well, I was again met by some great individuals who introduced me to the game.  I watched for a few minutes and then got the honor of playing doubles with a gentleman who has been playing since the 70's.  We started a little rallying back and forth and I was feeling pretty good.  I was able to keep it going much longer than that ping pong ball last week.  And then I was asked to play in a real game!  YES!  I was excited until......they started picking on me.  I served the shuttlecock (official name for birdie) across the net and was quite proud that it went over.  Then it came back.....and landed on the floor!  I was told that I was admiring my serve and that I should have been getting in better position.  I knew that but apparently my body did not, so I just stood there!  With a little gentle yelling from my teammate with his accent from England, I began to move around more.  It was great to be coached by him especially since the game came from England.  I have tough skin and besides, that is the whole point of my challenge to be thrown into a game.  We lost the game 21-13 and then my teammate told me to come into the side room.  I thought he was going to yell at me and I prepared myself by walking slow but in fact he took the time to show me the correct striking techniques.  He spent a few minutes helping me out and then told me that basically "no offense but I was not ready for a game".  And he was correct.  I stood around and watched the other games being played and was again in awe of the POWER and speed of the game.  What a great feeling it must be to just slam the shuttlecock with control back and forth across the net.  And it too makes a great sound as it comes off the racket whiffing through the air.  Thanks to Jim and everyone else at the Charlotte Badminton Club for allowing me to try yet another sport in this great city of Charlotte.  What a cool thing they have going at the rec center and I will be back one day after some well deserved practice!

Table Tennis!

Today I visited the Charlotte Table Tennis Club that meets at the Hawthorne Rec Center and quickly realized that this was NOT ping pong!  This was official table tennis and not for the lighthearted.  This was serious stuff.  I was greeted by some individuals who have been around table tennis in the Charlotte area for over 30 years.  They allowed me to hit around with them and I kept wondering when they would actually invite me to start a game.  I now understand why they did not since I was told that there is "nothing right about my game"!  There goes an ego buster!  But that is what my challenge is all about.  Throw me in a game and lets see what happens.......most of the time I'm humiliated and tonight was no different.  I did get to play a match with a gentleman that was new to the game but even he defeated me all three sets.  I was stiff, awkward, and most of the time off rhythm.  I looked in awe at all the other tables that displayed that beautiful "click, click" sound of the ball bouncing in perfect harmony.  I was so eager to be able to rally a ball like that.  With that said, I truly appreciate my chance to be in the same room with tournament players but now it's back to my garage......where I am CHAMPION of the table!!