Table tennis brings out passion for competition in players of all ages

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, July 31, 2010 | 2 a.m.

The pingpong ball is flying across the table at 90 mph, evidence that this really isn’t some party game in the garage or patio, but very serious table tennis.

Ray Guillen and Errol Resek, two players with vast international experience, are putting the final touches on a practice session before their Tuesday night tournament at the Las Vegas Table Tennis Center on Highland Drive. Some first-time players one court over are so mesmerized by the rapid pace that they stand in awe.

Don’t let the ages of Guillen, 55, and Resek, 68, fool you. Of the 40 regular players who call the center their club, they are in a class of their own.

Resek, a retiree from New York, is a five-time champion in his native Dominican Republic who is so passionate about the sport he volunteers at the center and is always willing to tutor beginners.

Guillen, a poker dealer, is a two-time U.S. men’s open champion and was inducted into the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. He’s also a showman with the paddle and widely considered the sport’s most colorful player.

Guillen is full of energy when he plays, often talking to himself between points and, on occasion, throwing his paddle in disappointment at his performance.

That’s all in a day in the life of a legendary performer who is still looking to improve his game.

“If I played in the NBA, I wouldn’t be talking to you,” Guillen joked. “You would have to call my secretary.”

Brian Hart is a 29-year-old bartender who started playing table tennis in the recreation room at his college. A former high school tennis and volleyball player, Hart has become active in table tennis for the simplest of reasons: “I’m good at it.”

But despite being younger and more physically fit than Guillen, he still hasn’t beat him.

“You would think that I could beat him, but it’s harder than it looks,” Hart said. “He’s one of the top 10 players of all time.”

The center opened three years ago and has become a haven for table tennis enthusiasts, who previously had to travel out of state to play in tournaments or try their luck looking for competition at city recreation centers.

Owner Geri Grodzinsky, 58, instantly became hooked on the sport when she started playing a few years ago at a senior community’s recreation center.

Now she travels across the nation for senior Olympic events and is one of the activity’s biggest advocates in Southern Nevada.

“Even if you are in your 50s, you can still play this competitively,” said Grodzinsky. “Most people have played table tennis at some time in their life in the basement. No matter what your experience level, you can compete and have fun. It’s a fabulous sport.”

The eight-table facility is open 1 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 2 to 6 p.m. weekends. There is a one-time $10 fee to join and day passes are $5 for members. Several players also have USA Table Tennis memberships, which cost $40 annually and are needed to compete in sanctioned tournaments.

For players like Resek, table tennis has created plenty of memorable moments. After moving to the United States, he traveled with the national team in 1971 to China for an exhibition. The players were believed to be the first Americans in the Chinese capital since the late 1940s.

Forty years later, the memories remain at the local club. Resek still gets a thrill out of the competition and, judging by the spin and velocity on his shots, is still at the top of his game.

“You don’t need much to play, just a paddle,” he said. “It’s a sport you can play even at my age. I’m still a top player, and I still feel in top (physical) shape.”

The club features more than elite players and competitive games. College students, children, women and senior citizens all frequent it and are paired against one another in tournaments.

Henriett Echeverría, a 32-year-old real estate agent from Hungary, goes three or four times a week. Besides the competition, she said, the camaraderie makes the activity attractive. Participants socialize outside the facility after matches.

“I love it. This is my hobby,” she said.

One of Grodzinsky’s biggest goals is to introduce more children to the activity. Guillen remembers losing to adults in his hometown of Hollywood, Calif., during his childhood and says those defeats motivated him to become a better player.

“When I was 13, I went to a pro club and couldn’t beat one person,” he said. “Ever since then, I became serious and intense. I still have the same attitude as when I was a little kid. I’m looking to beat everyone at the club.”

The club offers free lessons for children 18 and under at 2 p.m. Saturdays and provides the paddles and balls to get them started. The dream is that one local child will develop into the next Guillen or Resek.