Courtesy of Sid Naresh and USATT
From the first step I took into the Pan-Am Center to the last table tennis ball I looped, I loved the 2017 China In North America Training Camp.
I have always wondered how the Chinese dominate table tennis, but as I saw them train in Markham, Canada, I figured it out. There were 6 Chinese players, but one in particular stood out to me. His name is Yang Shuo. His World Junior Ranking is #16, and his intensity during his training is unbelievable. His focus and quality on each ball was extraordinary. His footwork was explosive and swift. The way he persevered through outlandish multi-ball was phenomenal. He showed me how much effort I need to put into become the best.
The overall camp was also astounding. The amount of time we spent at the table, and the training partners that I had were spectacular. Our daily schedule was rigorous, with 3 hours of playing in the morning, 30 minutes of physical training, a lunch break, and then back to 3 hours of playing. This amount of play time helped build up my physical and mental endurance. The multi-ball training and the daily drills were critical parts of our training under the watchful eyes of the US, Canadian and Chinese Coaches. Not only have I improved as a player, but I have improved as a teammate because I was able to experience real teamwork.
The US team ate all our meals together, which meant that we had time to share our experiences, trials and tribulations with each other. Additionally, Nandan and I were interviewed by a Chinese TV Channel for Table Tennis and Badminton – it was a fun experience!
All in all, I am so grateful that I was selected to participate in the camp, and learn from the best. Watching Yang Shuo and the rest of the Chinese team was a life-changing experience for me, and if I have another chance to train with them, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
