CHS Ping-Pong President Pushes The Paddle

Every Wednesday, shortly after the school dismissal buzzer sounds, the balls begin to bounce in Cheshire High School's common area. These are not basketballs or tennis balls, these are ping-pong balls, buzzing from one side of the table to the other at break-neck speed.

Cheshire High's ping-pong club meets weekly to sharpen their skills in the true game of reflex. However, not all students are serious devotees to the pong, some are just there to socialize and have fun. 

Linda Piltch, a foreign language teacher at Cheshire High School, is the club's faculty advisor.

"A few years ago, I had a student named Katherine Han,” said Piltch. “She was interested in forming a ping-pong club, her father donated some tables and we had a club for a few years before it teetered out. Then a student named Daniel Chen, who was a friend of hers, approached me about doing it again.”

Chen, now president of the club, has organized tournaments and taken on the job of promoting ping-pong at the school. 

“Our numbers were small in the past,” said Chen. “I’ve focused on advertising the club, putting up announcements on the school’s website (chsrampage.org) stuff like that. We probably have close to 50 members now, it’s been tough to keep (track of) attendance.”

Active club president, yes. However, is Chen the undisputed Cheshire ping-pong champ? Last year’s tournament result may shed some light.

“Last year me and Dan were in the final four," said fellow club member Ben Zentek. “We advanced to play each other in the final round and I beat him.”

Ben laughed adding that although the win felt good, the club’s purpose is not competition. Chen agreed.

“Ping-pong is just a really fun sport,” said Chen. “It can be as intense as you want it to be.”

See the video for an interview with Daniel Chen.

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