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Backspin - Backward rotation on the ball.

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Blade - The racquet without rubber or covering.

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Lob - A heavy topspin shot that is executed by lifting the racquet quickly
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$5.00
 Dear Student
W elcome...
Hello and welcome to our Table Tennis School! In the coming weeks your
coach will teach you mastery of new skills and terms you have never heard
before like the “topspin smash”, “ loop”, “block”, “high toss serve” and
“third-ball attack”.
Your coach will explain to you the advantage of “finesse and speed” versus
“strength and power”. Many adults are not aware, but finesse and speed are
the secret to success in all sports. Thus if you listen and learn from us, not
only will you improve your table tennis, but you will also become a better
athlete in the process!
ZYP! will teach you the rules, tactics, strategy and etiquette. Before you
complete our program, you may even get the chance to play competitively
and win a match against an adult! Wouldn’t that be fun?
Hey, would you agree that this sounds like a lot of stuff for a sport that is
played on a small table?
It took us over four years to develop this program. We have interviewed
some of the top coaches in United States, China, Japan, Romania, Sweden
and Russia. Captured in this booklet is over 100 years of table tennis sport
knowledge, and we wish to pass it all on to you.
Oops! We almost forgot. Our coaches have reminded us that their most
talented and best students were always great listeners. Often, these students
were not the best in the beginning. But by listening, they were able
improvise and adapt and in the process become great players.
Enjoy the fun!
Regards
The ZYP! Table Tennis Group.
1 For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392
Fact sheet
• Table Tennis is an Olympic Sport. The USA has an Olympic team, a
National team and a National Youth Team.
• Table Tennis is popular among youth in such countries as China, Japan,
Korea, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Croatia, Nigeria, France, Hungary and
Slovakia.
• It is estimated that millions of youth around the world play table tennis
regularly.
• The sport is low cost and requires little space to play.
• Several years ago an Escalade Sports survey revealed that junior table
tennis athletes during training burned as many calories as comparable
youth participating in a basketball training camp.
• Top table tennis athletes can smash a table tennis ball at speeds
approaching 100mph.
• Table tennis is a sport, which is played at the Olympic Games and
around the world.
ZYP! Curriculum
• The ZYP! program was developed by a collaborative of coaches under
ZYP! Sports Inc. Tennis, a company dedicated to teaching American
Youth the sport of table tennis.
• ZYP! licenses its curriculum and teaching methodology to qualified
youth organizations, like American Youth Table Tennis Organization.
• Our ultimate vision is to create international youth exchange programs
and competitions between youth organizations and families of youth.
Coaching
• Your coach is an expert in table tennis and is looking forward to teaching
you. Your coach is likely to have spent many hours training and playing
table tennis when he or she was your age. He or she is “certified” by the
National Governing Body of the Sport USA Table Tennis and trained by
AYTTO to teach you!
For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 10
Skill sets Skill sets
LEVEL LEVEL
1 4

1. Walk 20 steps while balancing ball on racquet. 1. Consistently execute forehand topspin drives.

2. Bounce ball on racquet 20 times in a row. 2. Produce 3 backhand loop drives off of a block.

3. Show proper grip while striking ball. 3. Demonstrate the ability to re-loop a topspin drive.

4. Execute 4 legal serves in a row. 4. Reveal an array of quality serves.

5. Articulate the basic rules of table tennis. 5. Show footwork mastery by staying in balance while
topspin driving and countering randomly placed balls.
6. Listen and show respect for table tennis coach.
6. Mentor and coach a junior team member.

Aproved by Date Aproved by Date

My rating is
3 For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 8
Design and illustration by Roman Sharf(romansharf.com)
Skill sets Our Development Diary & Skills Log

LEVEL
The ZYP! Development Diary is your guide to learning the essential skills to
play table tennis. Some of you may “master” certain skills learn faster than
others. And some of you will practice more than others. Don’t worry, this is
not a race to the finish line. We want each you to enjoy the program, make

5
new friends and to look back at your personal development.

When you have “mastered” all of the skills and filled your book with stars, we
will register you as a graduate of the ZYP! Table Tennis School. We will also
give you some cool stuff! By the way, when you complete our program, you
1. Draw up and execute 30 minute practice session with
will be in great shape to compete in local and national tournaments.
partner.

2. Topspin drive 20 balls in a row, executing proper

footwork, contact, and hip shoulder, arm rotation.
Personal Info
3. Observe filmed match and articulate different strategy
for the player who lost.
Student Name
4. Play a competitive match in against a higher ranked
opponent in which you: Email
a. Execute 3 third ball attacks.
b. Return 80% of the serves. School / Club

5. Pass USA Table Tennis Club Coach or Club official Street Address
exam.
Zip Code
Feedback from Coach:
Program

Master Mentor: Work one on one with a student to assist Birth Date
him or her acquire a new skill.
Aproved by Date

9 My rating is For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 2
Skill sets Skill sets
LEVEL LEVEL
3 2
1. Produce 3 slow loops in a row. 1. Sequence 4 forehand topspin counters in a row.

2. Block 4 forehand and 4 backhand balls in a row.
3. Produce a short backhand and/or forehand serves
with deceptive variants.
4. Execute 3 third ball attacks in a row.
5. Show the agility to rally forehand and backhand with
a partner.
2. Demonstrate agile side to site footwork and correct
ready position.
3. Forehand Smash 4 balls in a row utilizing correct
weight transfer; hip and shoulder rotation.
4. Execute 4 backhand topspin counters in a row.
5. Execute 10 backhand and 10 forehand pushes in a row.

6. Understand rules and officiate a table tennis match. 6. Show proper table tennis etiquette.

Aproved by Date Aproved by Date

My rating is My rating is
7 For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 For more information on ZYP! and its activities visit www.zyp.org or call 914-625-8392 4