The 2017-2018 table tennis team is gearing up for another competitive season. The team is led by senior captains Noah Swindlehurst and Henry Koch, while Guy (Rakpong) Peerepong–who has played competitively in Thailand–also contributes greatly to the team’s success. 

Table tennis isn’t the primary sport for most of the athletes on the team. The team’s camaraderie between all the different grade-levels allows a unique bond to form. “It’s definitely not a major sport for me, but it’s something that keeps the energy level up. It’s always fun to go out with the boys and rally,” Swindlehurst said.

As one of the few seniors on the team, and one of only two captains, Swindlehurst takes on an important leadership role. With a team comprised of mostly underclassmen, Swindlehurst believes he can actively lead at and away from the table. “I think that encouraging other people during matches is very important; it helps a lot when you have your teammates watching you and cheering you on,” Swindlehurst said.

Peerepong leads by example as someone whose skill is unrivaled.  Peerepong is from Bangkok, Thailand–home to one of the most competitive table tennis atmospheres in the world.  As someone who’s played for years, he recognized a big difference in competition between Americans and Thailand. “It’s kind of a big deal in Thailand, so a lot Americans aren’t as good. It’s a lot better in Thailand,” Peerepong said.

In past years, the team has come up short of reaching the State tournament. As a team that dedicates so much time to practice, it has been very frustrating to not place in past tournaments. Swindlehurst has high expectations for this season, though. “I think we have the talent and support from our coach, Mr. Hansen, to get 3rd in state.  We came up short two years ago and got 4th place––I really think we can do better this year,” Swindlehurst said.