Successful tournament may lead to much more
By Rebecca Peterson, Staff Writer
On Friday, March 4, Douglas hosted an event that has been months in the making. A ping pong tournament between Simon Fraser University and Douglas College.
Though the competition was fierce, the atmosphere of the event was very friendly. Matches between contestants would often conclude with handshakes and compliments passed between players. They even traded tips and tricks to improve each other’s performance. Teams cheered on their own players as well as their opponents. Everyone was encouraged in equal measure to perform their best.
Both teams brought their best to the table, showing incredible skill and effort. As one spectator commented, “Your reflexes would have to be amazing to do this.” Players were not above physically improbable leaps and twists to catch the ball and send it back to their opponents. It was not uncommon to watch volleys that lasted for minutes without either side conceding a point.
In the end, SFU swept up the top three placements with their players Vlad, Tony, and Elaine. Douglas’s own Lakshay coming in fourth. The results were not entirely surprising, as apparently Vlad is a ping pong champion back in the Ukraine. His confidence and skill spoke of a long history of experience, though many of Douglas’s players managed to keep up with him all the same. The prize for first place was a $150 gift certificate to Boston Pizza, which Douglas representatives awarded to the SFU team at the conclusion of the bout.
The night was closed by a speech from a member of Douglas’s Athletics Department. As Douglas is a smaller college, our facilities are not very large. Hosting events such as ping pong tournaments can prove difficult. The hope for the future is that events like this tournament can occur on an annual basis, with schools trading off as hosts. It speaks well of our school. Despite our compact size, the Athletics Department has been ready and willing to organize and host events like this. Those events have always been well-attended and enjoyed by players and spectators alike.
All in all, the night was an incredible success, culminating in a group photo with both school teams. It seems both schools enjoyed the tournament, and are eager to repeat the experience again next year. Something for our own team to look forward to, as they continue meeting up and training towards future tournaments.
