USA Table Tennis tournament set for November 2-3 at Joplin's Memorial Hall

(From the City of Joplin)

Once again, it’s time for the USA Table Tennis (USATT) Sanctioned Tournament! The 2018 Fall Open Table Tennis Championship will be held on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at Memorial Hall, 212 W. 8th Street in Joplin. Prize money totals $1,200 for this tournament.

An Exhibition City Challenge will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. Teams from Joplin City Council, Parks & Recreation Department, Police Department, and Fire Department will participate in this fun challenge.

The tournament is open for the public at any age and gender. Players include boys and girls as young as seven-years-old to older adults up to age 87. Tournament organizers expect to have participants and audience members from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska.

Admission is free of charge to spectators. Entry fees vary depending on the event that the player participates. Funds raised in the tournament will be used to buy a new table which can cost up to $2,000.

“We are hoping this sanctioned tournament will bring more players and visitors to Joplin which will also benefit local businesses,” said Janus Lazarus, President of the Joplin Table Tennis Club. “We are excited at the opportunity to share this historic event with Joplin and encourage interested citizens to participate in our tournament. We also welcome spectators to the tournament. It is really fun to watch these players at such high-skill levels.”

For more information, please visit the organization’s Facebook page, website at joplinttc.wix.com/jttc or email them at joplinttclub@gmail.com . They can also be reached at 417-319-1441.

This tournament is organized by the Joplin Table Tennis Club (JTTC), which was established in 2014. Joplin Table Tennis Club is affiliated with USA Table Tennis and hosts numerous tournaments with participation of players from the local area and surrounding states

USA Table Tennis is organized under the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of table tennis in the United States, which has participation by more than 250 clubs across the nation. USA Table Tennis is a member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and is responsible for international competition including the Pan American and Olympic Games.