'Chess At Light Speed': 3 MD Kids Make National Table Tennis Team

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Most of the buildings off Game Preserve Road in Gaithersburg look the same. There are big warehouses with trucks outside and not a whole lot of action. If you look a little closer, though, you’ll notice that one has a nondescript “Maryland Table Tennis” sign, and inside are a dozen tables with kids sending ping pong balls whizzing back and forth.

Three of those kids were just named to the United States Under 13 National Team for their performances at the National Team Trials last weekend in New York. There are only eight kids on the national team, making the players from this one club in Montgomery County total nearly half the team.

Stanley Hsu, a 12-year-old from North Potomac, came in first for his age group at the national team trials last weekend, winning all 11 of his matches. Stanley is a “once in a generation” player, said Larry Hodges, a coach at the Maryland Tennis Center. Hodges said people study how to beat Stanley, but not many can do it.

Playing at tournaments can be really tiring and Stanley admitted with a laugh that he has the worst stamina out of all of his teammates. His winning record shows he’s found a way to get through that, though.

“I think about what will happen if I win,” said Stanley. “That motivates me."

Ryan Lin, 11, went into the trials as the number one player in the country under age 12 and finished as a member of the under 13 national team. Ryan said playing can be intense, but the win was a thrill.

“I was excited because I’ve never been on the national team,” said Ryan. “I just felt excited —that’s all — and happy.”

Mu Du, a 13-year-old going into eighth grade at Roberto Clemente Middle School, came in third at the trials, beating someone ranked higher than him. Du was excited by the upset. He’s been playing at the Maryland Table Tennis Center for six years, since his parents brought him to a summer camp.

“It’s fun and challenging at the same time,” he said of table tennis.

Challenging might be an understatement. The ball moves so fast it can be hard to tell where it lands and which player wins the point.

“It’s chess at light speed,” said Hodges. “It’s one of the most tactical games imaginable but you only have a split second to make your decisions.”

You have to know what to do subconsciously, Hodges said. That, combined with some different strategies of play and skills can set the players apart.

The players talked about mental focus, too, and how they calm their nerves. One of their coaches, Qing Liang Wang, helps them get set before they play. He tells them they don’t need to play a perfect game.

“All you need to do is try to be normal,” he tells them. Their normal is more than good enough for a very competitive match.

As members of the National Team, the players will compete together at training camps and represent the United States in tournaments — some of which will involve international travel. Eventually, they might go to the Olympics.

The peak time for that is around when they would be starting college, Hodges said. Some of them might go play in a Chinese or European league after high school, then compete in the Olympics before going to college. In addition to being the top players in the county, they’re also top students, Hodges said. They pull out brain teasers at tournaments, jumping up and down guessing the answers.

The players put a ton of time into their sport — two hours every day after school or full days of camp during the summer. A benefit is they all become best friends, playing a sport they dominate and seeing each other every day.

While the kids trained, they gathered to watch one table where they were playing games of one point. Every time someone made a swift shot, the crowd of kids erupted into cheers and shouts. Eventually, the coaches called for them to clean up. They walked around, giggling and collecting the ping pong balls before settling down for lunch. They wouldn’t be going home after lunch. They had another round of training that afternoon.

“The hard work pays off,” said Wang. “That’s enough.”