USA Table Tennis is thrilled to announce an exceptional lineup of workshops at the 2023 US Open in Ontario, California. Six workshops & panel discussions, covering a diverse range of topics, aim to engage and educate attendees (players, families, club owners, tournament managers, administrators) and foster knowledge sharing and connection.
All workshops will serve tea, coffee, and a variety of desserts to attendees.
- SafeSport Workshop
Led by Mark Thompson (USATT COO)
- Date: Friday, December 15th
- Time: 5:30-6:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 107
The Safe Sport discussion will review the Toolkit produced by the US Center for SafeSport on Emotional and Physical Abuse with the goal of employing the guidance in this Toolkit to encourage creating a positive sports environment for everyone – and particularly minor-aged athletes. We will also look at a couple of scenarios regarding the concept of “In-Program Contact” between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes. We'll seek open and honest feedback from everyone present, and the discussion should be appropriate for all ages. - Club & Membership Panel Discussion
Led by Vinod Kambrath (Chair of USATT Clubs & Leagues Committee) & Tina Ren (USATT Club & Membership Lead)
- Date: Saturday, December 16th
- Time: 6:30-7:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 107
The workshop will open with an overview of USATT membership types, the benefits of membership and how to grow membership through clubs and programs in the future. Then a panel discussion will feature club leaders who will provide their input on how best to start, manage and grow their clubs. This includes discussion of how to build leagues and how to achieve USATT affiliation for new clubs. - Tournaments and Events Workshop
Led by Vlad Farcas (USATT Events Director) and Will Shortz (Owner Westchester Table Tennis Center)
- Date: Sunday, December 17th
- Time: 6:30-7:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 106
Dive into the intricacies of organizing successful table tennis tournaments and events. From sanctioning process, event promotion, event presentation and USATT special events (e.g., state championships, regional championships), this workshop is a must for anyone involved in tournament and event management. - Diversity and Inclusion Panel Discussion on Women Empowerment
Led by Dora Kurimay (Chair of USATT Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
- Date: Monday, December 18th
- Time: 7:30-8:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 107
During the discussion, panelists will share their personal experience of being a female table tennis player and/or coach in the US and their insight on how to increase female players' participation. They will discuss the challenges and possible solutions to retaining youth female table tennis players and the benefit of the sport that helps them to stay with it in the long run. There will be a Q&A at the end of the discussion. - High Performance, National Team & Media Workshop
Led by Khoa Nguyen (USATT High Performance Committee), Gao Jun, (USATT National Team Coach), Barbara Wei (USATT Media Specialist) and Jack Low (USATT Social Lead
- Date: Monday, December 18th
- Time: 7:30-8:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 107
Open to all players and families interested in and/or already competing for the US national team in any category (youth, adult, masters, senior, able-bodied, para). This presentation will outline the new point system for national team and Olympic trials, along with an interactive discussion on how to respond to media inquiries, grow your social presence and the impact/importance of representing yourself well with the media. - USATT General Assembly
Led by Virginia Sung (USATT CEO)
- Date: Tuesday, December 19th
- Time: 6:30-7:30 PM PT
- Venue: Ontario Convention Center, Room 107
Virginia Sung (USATT CEO) will provide an update on the current state of affairs of USATT and the strategic vision and plan. USATT leadership, staff and board members will be available to hear feedback, answer questions and discuss concerns from all attendees. Don't miss this unique opportunity to expand your knowledge, connect with fellow enthusiasts, and contribute to the growth of table tennis in the United States. These workshops are designed to cater to participants of all backgrounds – players, coaches, families, fans, club owners, administrators, and event managers.
