Isaac Hobbs talks us through the success our Tahuna pupils have experienced in Table Tennis over the past few weeks. 

My name is Isaac Hobbs and I play uncommon sport of table tennis. I first started playing in 2014, a fellow pupil by the name of Alex Clarkson got me into the sport. At first it was just a hobby but as I started to get better I took it more seriously. After six months or so of playing I was asked to play for Otago in the under 13 C team, by the end of 2015 I was in the under 13 B team. In November Alex, another pupil Ruby Anderson and I traveled to Auckland for the New Zealand Hopes trial I came back with the most wins out of the three of us. In 2016, I went to my first nationals where I played in the under 13 A team but unfortunately got injured on the second day. Despite that I came back to train even harder than before.

Table tennis is the fastest sport on the planet with the ball going up to 70 kilometres an hour. I am often asked what is the difference between ping pong and table tennis, well the difference is ping pong is the sport that people play in their basements and garages but table tennis is the sport that I play, the Olympic sport. Table tennis is fastly growing in popularity. 

Table tennis can be a team sport as Alex Clarkson and I have played over ten times together and we have become an unstoppable doubles combo. It is the best feeling when you are playing a match and your team is cheering you on. Table tennis requires a lot of training and hard work. I have made some friends from different countries because of table tennis. 

Just recently the three of us went to Christchurch to play in the south island team event where I captained the U13 A team. Alex was also in the team. Ruby also captained the U13 girls A team to victory. My team steamrolled every team in our pool. Our next challenge was the final in a best of seven we were 1-3 down but we fought back and won 4-3. The whole match took 1hour and 30 minutes. Next we must defend our title at nationals in October.

In conclusion I think table tennis is an amazing sport and you will make a lot of friend in playing this sport. I believe that any one that gives it a go they will love it.