Impressions of the Training Class at the Military Academy of Sciences Table Tennis Club
By Bai Gang
March 26, 2011, another Saturday, cheers echoed through the gymnasium of the Military Academy of Sciences – “Great shot”, “Beautiful” and other words constantly blurted out by players or spectators. The silver ball danced as on each table opponents exchanged shots, pushing, pulling, dropping, smashing, slicing, or playing short balls to the net or aggressive forehand loops. It turned out that this Saturday afternoon was a friendly match for some outstanding students of the Military Academy's table tennis training class, it was also a group training session for a certain level department, and there were also other skilled players using their rest time to hone and compete with each other.
This is merely a snapshot of the development of table tennis at the Military Academy of Sciences. In the table tennis community, whenever the level of table tennis at the Military Academy is mentioned, it always receives praise. Because the table tennis skill level at the Military Academy is renowned far and wide, with numerous experts within its ranks. It stands alongside the Military Academy winter swimming team, which has a history of 30 years and has won many honors, as the twin stars in the development history of group sports activities at the Military Academy.
For a long time, the group sports activities of the People's Liberation Army Military Academy of Sciences have developed vigorously, earning a good reputation both inside and outside the military, and are talked about by people – research work and physical exercise go hand in hand, bringing glory to the Military Academy.
Table tennis has a strong mass base in the large courtyard of the Military Academy, from the top leadership of the academy to employees and family members, many love playing table tennis. Some have become celebrities in the table tennis world with first-class skills and impressive records, others are experienced and passionate about tactical research, and still others are promising newcomers who have made stunning debuts. Their various styles reflect an orderly tiered characteristic in terms of strength and tactics.
Against this backdrop, when the new gymnasium of the Military Academy was completed and put into use in 2007, the Political Department applied to establish a table tennis club, under which a table tennis training class was set up, directly managed by the Publicity Department of the Political Department, and incorporated into the Cultural Workstation. On May 1, 2007, the Military Academy table tennis training class officially began recruiting and holding classes, with recruitment open to table tennis enthusiasts both inside and outside the academy.
To date, this table tennis training class has been running for four years, soon to celebrate its fourth anniversary on May 1.
Over the past four years, the head coach responsible for the table tennis training class, Yang Zhilin, has worked diligently, welcoming and seeing off students. As a staff member who transitioned to civilian work locally, he enjoys a good popular foundation, leveraging his existing network to invite Coach Gao Shaolin, who won the double championship in singles at the 1979 National Games and the Military Games, to take charge of teaching - originally the coach of the Bayi men's team, who trained national team players such as Wang Hao and Cao Zhen, starting from last semester. Currently, the table tennis training class has four full-time coaches, whose teaching standards have earned high praise from the students. For example, National Level Two Coach Wu Lin, retired from a table tennis school, specializes in fast attack with straight bat loop play - he is approachable, meticulous and patient in teaching, with unique characteristics in youth and adult table tennis teaching, rich experience, conscientiousness, and yet tailors his teaching to individual needs - known as "Old Handsome."
Intermediate Coach Yang Wei started learning table tennis at the age of six, received strict professional training in the Bayi team, and also underwent related training at the Haidian Table Tennis School. Seven years of professional training honed his flexible and standardized movements - his style is two-sided loop combined with fast attack with a penhold paddle, having achieved fifth place in the Beijing primary and secondary school competitions. Yang Wei's path to becoming a full-time coach probably started at the Liang Geliang Club, where he was an intermediate coach at that time. Always maintaining a sunny big brother image while not lacking in composure, he carefully and meticulously guides students, whether children or adults, demonstrating precise actions, providing targeted concise language guidance, sometimes even teasing young students to relieve their boredom and lack of concentration.
On March 26th, the author used a Canon 450D camera to capture many great moments, but what attracted the lens and followed for shooting was the friendly match of the Military Academy table tennis training class, among which two elementary school students especially made the author frequently press the camera shutter - a burst of creative passion.
One elementary school student named Ze Xi has been playing table tennis for more than two years. Watching his match with another student named Wang Jiahua (who has been playing for over three years) led the author and his father to a common view - Ze Xi tends to raise his left hand and block his eyes when serving, making it difficult for the author and his father to capture a photo of him serving with his face visible, necessitating continuous shooting. Fortunately, after Coach Yang Wei promptly corrected his incorrect serving action, we seized the opportunity and successfully captured the moment.
The match between these two students was highly entertaining. The sturdy Jiahua played with great vigor and ferocity, powerful yet steady, truly embodying the demeanor of "lifting mountains and dominating the world," with the expression of a general facing enemies on the battlefield, akin to Lü Bu. On the other hand, Ze Xi handled things calmly, "blocking soldiers and covering water with earth," graceful and composed, observing all directions, and bursting into action in stillness, with quick steps and expressive expressions, resembling Zhao Yun. Every time Ze Xi and his mother come to the gymnasium to practice in the evening, they always draw the attention of the adults training there. Some say, "Not bad, this kid plays well!" Others say, "Look, he plays really well." And some say, "Good job, Old Yang, you've trained this child..."
Old Yang refers to the child's coach, the aforementioned head coach of the Military Academy table tennis training class, Yang Zhilin.
Speaking of Old Yang, everyone who comes to the gymnasium to play table tennis praises him highly. Their overall evaluation of Old Yang is enthusiastic, calm, simple, low-key, and dedicated. Old Yang often says: "I should thank the leaders for their support these past few years! Thank everyone for their care, we're all destined to meet, we're all friends through table tennis."
"Teaching enhances both teacher and student, seeking to make friends through the game." This is Old Yang's motto for running the class.
For four years, the Military Academy table tennis training class has consistently adhered to a one-on-one teaching and training method, whether for adults or children. To date, nearly 300 students have registered to learn table tennis at this training class, some coming due to its reputation, some introduced by acquaintances, and some transferring here midway to continue improving under different teachers. Previously, the author encountered two or three parents, who were quite surprised upon learning that the Military Academy had a place for children to learn table tennis. They said, "Hey! We've lived around here for so many years, and we didn't know the Military Academy had a place to learn table tennis? If we had known earlier, we wouldn't have had to look elsewhere."
Regarding this issue, the author consulted Old Yang, who chuckled and said, "We've never done any publicity. All the students are referred here."
Why hasn't Old Yang done this? In various places near the Military Academy, the author often sees street advertisements recruiting table tennis students, some even from well-known table tennis training classes. Regarding this, Old Yang displayed his consistent style of handling affairs - free choice, healthy competition - never undermining others' platforms, and never evaluating others' teaching. Concerning the issue of student sources, he believes that students have the right to freely choose, and those who wish to study here are naturally welcome and happy to see. Those who no longer wish to continue studying will not be forced to stay. Old Yang insists on his belief that everyone who comes is a friend through table tennis, teaching benefits both teacher and student, and as students improve, the coaches also improve themselves. Therefore, those who have studied table tennis at the Military Academy training class have all become Old Yang's table tennis friends. Old Yang occasionally invites these individuals to come back and play matches, challenging the experts within the academy. After all, some students have gone on to study under famous masters after leaving here, greatly improving their skills, while others have joined clubs after gaining a foundation here, returning as experts. Truly, "After three days apart, one should look at them with new eyes."
Speaking of Old Yang's affability, everyone who plays table tennis in the gymnasium knows it. As long as it doesn't affect the normal classes of the students, borrowing balls for multi-ball practice from Old Yang is always agreed to. His catchphrase is: "No problem. Take the balls." Once Old Yang finishes his classes, others would call him: "Old Yang, let's play a bit?" Or say: "Teacher Yang, help me practice." Whenever this happens, Old Yang never refuses. Over time, Old Yang has naturally blended with everyone, earning a good reputation.
At the Military Academy table tennis training class, there are also table tennis enthusiasts who come for trial training, generally adults. They believe they need a practice environment, a place where their table tennis skills can be improved.
Old Li and Old Tao are representatives of this group - Old Tao, a table tennis enthusiast who loves collecting paddles. By chance, the author met Old Tao when he was selecting paddles at a table tennis specialty store. Upon learning, it turned out he was once a student of Coach Wu Lin, now seeking a place to practice and improve his skills, so during the Qingming Festival, he specially came to the Military Academy table tennis training class for trial practice. That night, he practiced with three straight bat experts, and after finishing, he was deeply impressed. Although Old Li already has very good table tennis skills, he decided to enroll in the class for targeted training to further improve himself.
Due to the desires of these table tennis enthusiasts, and due to Old Yang's warm hospitality and his approach of making friends through table tennis,
Here, making friends through table tennis is not just talk or slogans. Sometimes, table tennis enthusiasts may encounter top-notch experts from the Military Academy - renowned figures in the table tennis world who have dominated the Military Academy table tennis competitions for many years, or newer champions with professional-level skills, or even experts ranked among the top five within the academy. Whoever they are, here they are all humble table tennis friends, truly meeting and interacting through the game on the court. Many friendships have continued through exchanges of skills.
After all, the strong table tennis atmosphere at the Military Academy, the superb table tennis skills of its members, and the environment of the Military Academy table tennis training class, these factors together attract table tennis enthusiasts. Here, people either learn, exchange skills, or participate in friendly matches. Therefore, the overall level of table tennis at the Military Academy, as reflected by the training class, is a true representation.
It is hoped that the Military Academy table tennis training class will continue to develop in this fertile table tennis soil, uphold its educational spirit, and cultivate future talents for the Military Academy.
Bai Gang, completed on April 6, 2011, at the Military Academy.