Last Saturday saw a fundraising table tennis tournament for everyone with a brain.
The event, called Games for Brains, was hosted by the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Club Sports table tennis team. It raised $1300 in entry fees and donations to support the NeuroPong™ program, an organization that supports those with neurodegenerative conditions including multiple sclerosis, dementia and Parkinson’s, as well as the St. Mary’s Foundation Neurology Fund.
The NeuroPong™ program, based in Fort Collins, CO, was created by Dr. Antonino Barbera. Barbera, a recently retired physician with multiple sclerosis, discovered how table tennis could help people like him–and anyone with a brain–connect with a community, enjoy themselves and slow or even reverse the progression of neurodegenerative conditions.
Games for Brains drew in a variety of students, locals and ping pong enthusiasts to donate and play. The tournament had a NeuroPong™ division, which five participants, all with a neurodegenerative condition, took part in, as well as an open, including an A and B division.
“I use it–believe it or not–to maintain my health,” said Adjei.
Pueblo-based 70-year old Alfred Adjei, the highest rated person at the tournament, spoke about how table tennis fits into his life.
His play style is very physical and active. He remained quick on his feet, intentionally pausing until the last second before quickly and forcefully attacking tricky shots. Adjei won second place in the A division after a close game with CMU alumnus Alex Breitkreuz and competes nationally on a regular basis.
“To play like I do, you have to be fit in the first place,” Adeji said. “So almost every morning I do a little jog just to get my breath running. Otherwise I get out of breath playing like this. So I have to be fit to play, and when I do play I get fitter. Strengthens my legs and all.”
Part of the fun of attending tournaments is meeting new people and playing against new styles.
“[This tournament is] pretty cool. There’s a lot of people here and it’s really nice to see… because you don’t tend to get this many people playing in one setting,” said freshman fitness and health promotion major and table tennis club member Minhtam La.
Senior System Administrator in CMU’s IT department and Club Table Tennis coach Mike Meens is a long time table tennis enthusiast. He enjoys being able to play against a variety of styles.
“More so than most other sports, [anyone] can be a defensive player or offensive, you can use a lot of spin or smashes or loops or chops… I really enjoy dealing with different spin and placement, Meens said. “My favorite quote is that [table tennis] is like chess at 90 miles per hour. There’s a lot of different styles of play which always makes it interesting.”
Meens has been the table tennis coach at CMU since 2015. He also runs tournaments for Colorado and Utah as the Rocky Mountain Division Director for National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA), which often take place at CMU and are open to the public for spectators.
Under Meens’ directorship, between players traveling in from all over the state to play, a near-constant ping pong game in The Point and the community coming together to have fun and make a difference, CMU is the heart for table tennis in Western Colorado.
The CMU Table tennis club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on court one of the Foster Field House. CMU students of all skill levels are encouraged to take part and can come hit any time for free.
