2008 JOOLA NA Teams

It's now time to turn our attention to the flagship event of the NATT year, the 2008 JOOLA North American Teams Table Tennis Championships. Many people refer to this event as the 'Baltimore Teams' but in deference to our loyal sponsor, I hope you will use it's full title.

The tournament is the most unique and rewarding table tennis experience available in America, in my not-so-humble opinion. If there is only one event to attend as a player or a spectator or a coach annually, this is it! I hope that most of you are familiar with the bare facts of the tournament, but I will repeat them here, along with several solid reasons that you should commit to attending.

November 28th, 29th and 30th at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

The Teams is a unique format, resulting in a completely different playing experience. Unlike other tournaments where you are a lone wolf, at the Teams you play your matches with the shouted encouragement, support and advice of your teammates. You and your opponents get to interact and comment on the action all around you as you support a goal greater than yourself, the fate of your squad. Naturally you want to win as many matches for yourself as possible, but the strategy involved in plotting how to attain victory as a unit adds a level of fun and complexity you cannot get elsewhere.

The entire field is bound in competition. While play is organized into divisions, where your team is matched head-to-head against the most comparable teams, the entire tournament is one event, top to bottom. What a field it is! There are players from all over North America, the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, China, Japan, Taiwan, the UK and Europe, a diverse brotherhood of people speaking different languages from different backgrounds all joined in the love of our sport!

Top-notch equipment will be in use, a spread of JOOLA 3000S and 2000S tables, most of them assembled and in play for the very first time! There is no other sight like it as 140+ tables cover the 150,000 square feet of playing hall.   These tables are also available for sale post-tournament. Used only once, you can make such a deal by being ready to transport one home with you, or pay to have it shipped to you. You save substantially on what amounts to a brand-new table for your home or club. I urge you to make arrangements ahead of time by emailing [email protected] and reserve one of these blue beauties for yourself.

There are no table tennis widows at the JOOLA North American Teams Table Tennis Championships. Bring your family along for the adventure, because the tournament is set in the heart of one of the world's most delightful metropolitan centers, Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Harborplace offers exciting retail opportunities, great aquariums and museums delight visitors and the selection of dining is first rate and widely varied by both cuisine and price point. Here's a local promotional internet site that makes the case better than I can convey it, http://baltimore.org .

Our tournament hotel has no long lines waiting for shuttle buses, because its connected to your playing hall by Skywalk. And no ordinary hotel, the Hyatt Inner Harbor is an excellent accommodation. Through our deep and long association with this facility we are able to get you an outstanding discounted room rate, but rooms book quickly, so don't dawdle! Here's a link to the hotel itself, http://baltimore.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp and you'll find instructions on how to get the hotel discount at the tournament website, http://www.natabletennis.com/upcoming-tournaments/2008-natt-tournament-schedule/11/28-30/08-joola-north-american-teams.html .

If aren't part of an existing team, fear not! NATT has a teamfinder function that acts as a matchmaker, sort of a dating service that allows players to add members to their squad, or even assemble a team for the event. Simply log in and leave your information, read the other listings and create a team of similar-rated players to compete at the Teams. Here's a direct link that lets you into the swim: http://www.natabletennis.com/external/team-finder-search.html .

The 2008 JOOLA North American Teams Table Tennis Championships provide great 'bang for the buck' with up to 28 matches possible per player. It's an athletic contest, after all, so you should play on carrying the maximum of 5 players (only 3 are involved in each tie between teams) if the challenge sounds too much to undertake. On the other hand, if you are ready to be a playing machine, and to get the greatest possible number of sanctioned matches under your belt to test yourself against a wide range of opponents and styles, the minimum of three layers per team will be more to your liking.

If you can't free yourself to play the three days of competition, all is not lost! Ground passes are available, both as pre-paid and walkup admission so you can have the pleasure of watching the competition. A bleachered grandstand surrounds Courts One and Two where the Elite Division competes, food concessions and Starbucks are open and JOOLA has the complete spread of their goods for sale.

Whether you attend as a player, an umpire, a spectator, a coach or a supportive family member, I assure you you'll be amazed at the scale, the camaraderie, the ballyhoo, the play and the sheer fun of the Teams. If you are a returning veteran of the Teams, welcome back! If this is your first appearance, brace yourself. You may not have realized that table tennis in America could be this much fun.