2010 News Archive

Plano TT club hosted its Fall World Peace Table Tennis Tournament at the Tom Muehlenbeck center. Grant Bergmann made his photos available from the tournament.

More than 80 players participated. Yijun Feng won $300 in Singles Class A, defeating Chance Friend ($200) in the final. Nelson Ramos and Petri Heinonen were semi-finalists. Multiple divisions and age categories were contested.

Four USATT coaches completed their ITTF PTT Level 1 accreditation, including Coach Daniel Rutenberg.

More than 70 players participated in 13 different events. Russ Hamilton won the championship, defeating Yijun Feng in the finals. Jason Lai, Deputy Director-General of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Houston, and Stella Fang attended the tournament.

DFW Table Tennis showcased the Olympic sport at the prestigious Hotel Zaza. Nelson Ramos and Daniel Rutenberg delighted guests at the luxurious boutique hotel, starting at the driveway next to Dragonfly restaurant and moving to the Zaza Art House.

Coach Rutenberg achieved ITTF Course Conductor status, adding to his growing list of international certifications.

Coach Daniel Rutenberg attended the first ever ITTF PTT Level 1 Coaching Certification and Course Conductor Seminars in the USA. 23 coaches nationwide participated, with Glenn Tepper (ITTF Executive Director of Development) as course conductor.

Coach Daniel Rutenberg led Team USA at the 1st Copa Costa Rica 2010. Team USA won 6 medals total in Open, Singles by Class, and Team competitions across the different Paralympic classes.

Team Dallas Table Tennis won 7 medals at the JCC Maccabi Games 2010. Under Coach Daniel Rutenberg's leadership, the 3-player team (Jonathan Ochstein, Kevin Chaiken, Samuel Waranch) won 3 Gold, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronze medals. Thanks to JOOLA USA for their continued support.

11 players ages 10-17 were invited to play in preparation for Team Dallas attending the JCC Maccabi Games. The tournament included excellent Cadet and Junior players from around the Metroplex and 2 international players from Venezuela.

DFWTT participated in the Paralympic Table Tennis Camp, continuing efforts to develop disabled athletes in table tennis.

Daniel Rutenberg was named Paralympics National Team Coach by USATT, expanding his role in developing Paralympic table tennis.

Todd Thomas from Corinth, Texas attempted to set a new Guinness world record with the world's largest ping pong paddle. The paddle measured 106 inches (8.8 feet) tall, 70 inches (5.8 feet) in diameter, and 2¾ inches thick. Scott Ryan, USATT Certified Referee, worked with Todd to ensure the paddle met all requirements.

A $100 donation went to Rainbow Days towards their kids reading program. The non-profit organization provides important life skills children need to overcome adversity and stay drug-free.

Andrew Chen won the tournament! At least 90 players entered 19 different events on 17 sanctioned Butterfly tables. The tournament attracted players from across Texas and featured both sanctioned and non-sanctioned events. DFWTT donated $2 per player to FNDR Foundation for kids' education.

Historic event featuring 16 Celebrity Teams and 12 top-ranked national table tennis players to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Celebrities included Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, JJ Barea, Nastia Liukin, Caron Butler, and Coach Rick Carlisle. Team V. Liukin won the Celebrity Championship, while Mark Hazinski won the Table Tennis Challenge.

Four Texas Wesleyan University table tennis athletes showcased table tennis during halftime of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game. Mark Hazinski, Sara Fu Hazinski, Chance Friend, and Aldis Presley entertained over 19,000 fans for 4 minutes, promoting the upcoming Purple Ping Pong tournament.

Timothy Wang from Houston won the 2010 classic! 135 players from Houston, Wichita Falls, Oklahoma, Paris TX, and DFW area competed in 22 different categories on 24 Butterfly tournament tables. The tournament featured both USATT sanctioned and non-sanctioned events. Funds were donated to Haiti relief efforts.

Daniel Rutenberg was awarded the 2009 Paralympic Coach of the Year by USATT, joining three other coaches recognized for their dedication to athletes and the sport of table tennis.

A $316 donation was sent to help school reconstruction plans after the August 8, 2009 Typhoon disaster in Taiwan. DFWTT's ongoing charity program has contributed $2,442 total to various organizations.