Westchester Table Tennis Center Receives 2024 USATT Gold Medal Award

The Gold Medal Award is given annually to the USATT affiliated table tennis club with the highest overall ranking on the USATT Club Leaderboard

Nestled in Pleasantville, New York, just 30 miles north of New York City, the Westchester Table Tennis Center (Westchester) is a hub of activity for table tennis enthusiasts of all ages, levels and backgrounds. Opened in 2011 by Will Shortz, crossword editor of The New York Times, and Robert Roberts, a three-time Caribbean table tennis champion, the center has grown into one of the premier table tennis facilities in the United States. Westchester has consistently occupied the #1 position on the USATT Club Leaderboard, which takes into account the number of sanctioned events, prize money offered and star level of events, for every month of 2024, therefore earning them the 2024 USATT Gold Medal Award.

Boasting an impressive 21,000 square feet of space, Westchester houses 30 Double Happiness tables, a 21-foot ceiling, top-tier athletic flooring, and excellent lighting. Daily, the club welcomes 75-100 players, with over 200 members. Additional amenities, such as shower facilities, ensure players can enjoy a comfortable and professional experience. The center welcomes both casual visitors and dedicated members -- open seven days a week until 10:00 PM.

Rich London

The center has earned a reputation for its commitment to competitive play, hosting monthly 4-star USATT-sanctioned tournaments with $10,000 in prizes, including a $3,000 first-place award. Since its inception, the monthly Westchester Open has distributed an astonishing $876,680 in cash prizes, drawing top-tier talent from around the world.

Recent international competitors have included Robert Gardos (Austria), Enzo Angles (France), Eric Jouti (Brazil), Olajide Omotayo (Nigeria), Ibrahima Diaw (Senegal), Saheed Idowu (Congo), and Jann Mari Nayre (Philippines). In addition to its monthly Opens, Westchester hosts special events such as the USATT's Northeast Regionals, the NCTTA Northeast Championships, and the New York State Championships.

Beyond its competitive acclaim, Westchester has played a pioneering role in using table tennis as a tool for health and wellness. In March 2017, the center became the birthplace of PingPongParkinson, an international movement aimed at helping individuals with Parkinson’s disease through regular table tennis play. Scientific studies have shown that the sport can help delay and mitigate the effects of the disease, making Westchester a place where table tennis truly changes lives. PingPongParkinson operates a weekly event out of the club where players diagnosed with Parkinson’s participate in physical exercises and table tennis practice.

For those looking to hone their skills, Westchester offers expert one-on-one coaching from world-class professionals. The club’s esteemed coaching staff includes:

• Rawle Alleyne – 15-year national table tennis coach of Barbados
• Jian Li – Former coach of China’s Shandong province
• Kokou Fanny – 2020 Olympian for Togo, currently world-ranked #185
• Courage Nanevie – Former member of Ghana’s national table tennis team
• Luis Diaz – Former member of Venezuela’s national table tennis team

Rich London

Westchester also offers an array of programs catering to different skill levels and interests, including:

• Free group training for beginners and intermediate players every Monday night
• League Nights every Tuesday and Thursday
• PingPongParkinson Night every Wednesday
• Summer table tennis camps for kids and adults
• A Destination for Table Tennis Players

"I personally have played at 273 table tennis clubs in all 50 states plus 173 more clubs in 43 foreign countries," Shortz says, "so I know clubs well. There are a lot of great places to play. But I'm particularly proud of how friendly our club is. Newcomers are warmly welcomed and made to feel at home, and nearly everyone plays everyone else."

For more information, go to www.westchestertabletennis.com.