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Table Tennis Club Begins A New Era

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By STEVEN HINTON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 16, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - In Pasco County, table tennis is on the move. The Land O' Lakes Table Tennis Club is upgrading its location and its tables.

The Table Tennis Club's new site is the Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex gymnasium, which is six miles from its old location at the community center. The new location is the setting for five new tournament-quality tables, and co-founder Donald Goff says the move is the "beginning of a new era in Pasco County table tennis."

The club officially moved to the complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway, on Tuesday with the help of its main donors, Benedetto's Ristorante Italiano and Wesley Chapel Mazda.

The Land O' Lakes Table Tennis Club, formerly the Wilderness Lakes Table Tennis Club, was founded by Goff and Mike Coppola in the summer of 2007. It has grown from a couple of people playing on one table to more than 30 people on five tables.

The complex was the original choice for the club in December 2007, but it didn't work out.

"We couldn't get the complex, because they didn't have room to put us in there," Goff said. "But some programs changed, which freed it up so we could get in there."

In addition to the new location and tables, the club also has a new time slot. The days and times for the club are Tuesdays from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., and Fridays from 6 to 8:45 p.m. This is a change from Wednesdays and Saturdays, because they found those times didn't work for a lot of players.

"Both time slots are tough for players to attend, because on Wednesdays many are working and Saturday night is usually a night out," Goff said.

In the past, the club has had from four to 10 players attending Wednesday and between 8 and 14 players Saturday. With all of the changes, they are hoping for a better turnout.

"We are hoping with more tables and a bigger playing area, we will attract more players," Goff said.

In addition to its two main donors, the club raised money with raffles at Royal Bowling Lanes and The Breakfast Nook and by selling T-shirts and drinks.

Club members are playing during the first week, and new members will be encouraged to come out starting Friday.

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