Coach Samson Dubina US National Team Coach 4x USATT Coach of the Year
 

To see this website as it was intended, please update to a modern browser!

-->

Tournament Advice

Learn from Blake Cottrell

It is important to always keep a positive attitude even when you are losing.  In my short table tennis career, I have seen many players beat themselves as they gave up when losing or beat themselves up after playing a poor point.  Everybody makes mistakes in their strategy and/or technique during matches, even the most elite players in the world.  I have made comments to younger players that were losing to stay positive and heard back “Positive?  This guy is killing me!  I have no chance.”  I often say to myself, “This isn’t over yet.  I can do it.”

Beat the Lefty

Learn 6 New Strategies!

Generalizing all lefties into one category is difficult, but I’ll do my best to explain some general strategies that would apply to most lefties.  I’m assuming that you (the reader) are right-handed.
 
Serve Return
When the lefty is serving a forehand serve from the backhand side, adjust your position slightly more to the right.  The lefty will often use a sidespin serve to curve the ball away from your wide forehand.  By standing more to the right, you will be able to better cover the wide forehand.
 
Down-the-Line Block

The Comeback

Learn Some Strategy from Shreyans Bafna (age 15)

 

Start Thinking the Right Way

Learn a tip from Roger Liu (age 12)

Your mental attitude has a TREMENDOUS influence over the outcome of the game. It can help you beat players rated much higher than you. However it can be a humongous factor in losses against players rated much lower than you. This can set back your goals in table tennis. So how do you fix it?

Psalm 8

Read about God the Creator

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

My Mistake

Read about my worst loss this year

This year, I had one of my most devastating losses…
 
     I was playing at the 2013 US National Team Trials against 2x Olympian Khoa Nguyen.  I won the first 11-6.  I won the second 11-5.  I was winning 10-4 in the third game (best 4 out of 7 match) and lost that game and the match.  What went wrong…

Samson's Table Tennis Drinks!

Learn 3 great smoothie recipes that Samson uses on a daily basis to fuel his workouts

On a daily basis, I drink homemade fruit smoothies before my table tennis practice sessions.  After trying many combinations, here are my best recipes…
 
Magnificent Mango Smoothie
1 cup of orange juice
2 fresh peaches
1 cup of frozen mango
5 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt
 
Tart Strawberry-Banana
½ cup of orange juice
½ cup of milk
2 fresh bananas
1 cup of fresh strawberries
1 cup of ice
 
Berry-Pomegranate
½ cup of milk
½ cup of apple juice
1 pomegranate

A Year of Living for God

Written by Matthew Henry

 
(written by Matthew Henry)
“My times are in Your hand!” Psalm 31:15
Firmly believing that my times are in God’s hand, I here submit myself and all my affairs for the ensuing year, to the wise and gracious disposal of God’s divine providence. Whether God appoints for me . . . .
health or sickness,
peace or trouble,
comforts or crosses,
life or death–
may His holy will be done!

Asian and European Training Centers

Learn about 4 recent changes!

During the last 18 years, I have practiced at many table tennis training centers in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia.  In recent years, I have recognized four modern changes at the elite level.
 
Blocking with More Variation
In the past, one player would consistently block in a set pattern and the attacking player would attempt to loop 10-20 balls in a rally.  Now, the blockers have added more variation – sometimes harder, sometimes softer, sometimes flat, sometimes with a little topspin.
 
Multi-Location Blocking

Tournament Photos Now Online!

Photos From the Dec 14th Elite Tournament

http://cljstudiosphotography.com/table-tennis-tournaments.html
 
I want to give a special thanks to Chris from CLJ Studios!

Pages