Creighton Prep table tennis club grows substantially, players seek competition

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Many call it ping pong but for serious players, the correct competitive term is table tennis.

Creighton Prep’s table tennis team has grown fast and they’re hoping to bring in some competition.

It’s a lot more than just hitting the ball back and forth. It takes skill, focus and plenty of practice. And that’s why the program at Creighton Prep has grown during its two years on campus.

“During COVID we tried to find an activity for the boys to do that would keep them active and engaged and ping pong just seemed to fit, and our ping pong club just blew up,” said coach and teacher Kelly Barth.

Now there are 200 members in the club, which equals 20% of the school’s population.

The very best players at the school like Attila Csordas have come together to form a competitive team.

“It’s different from other sports because you have to focus on what you’re doing. It’s a lot of individual small motions and it’s very precise,” said Csordas.

Now they’re hoping to get more kids to pick up a paddle.

“We’ve really been working hard, reaching out to other high schools to get some competition to drum up interest in competing with us. We’re open to anyone and everyone. We’ll play college teams or clubs, we’ll play any high school individuals or teams.”

“It’s more of a universal sport of all ages, rather than something that’s exclusive to high school,”

Coach Barth says he’s proud of the community they’ve built and only wants to see it grow.

“They really thrive here, they’ve really found a home here. To see that and to see it grow for them is just absolutely amazing.”

Barth says the goal would be to one day start their own league.

If you think your school might be interested in forming a table tennis team, you can reach out to Creighton Prep’s team.

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