Michigan State’s club table tennis team is enjoying its most successful season since its founding in 2008. The team has earned wins over in-state programs such as Oakland and Wayne State. It has also doubled its paid membership to 40 players under a president who has brought new structure to the program.
The team practices regularly every Monday and Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. at IM West. With four tables reserved for each practice, multiple matches happen at once with other members watching and receiving coaching.
The team’s set-up for practices at IM West is spread across separate rooms, divided by walls, leaving the team to be split up. Sam Bertcher, a sophomore kinesiology major and club president, said the club hopes it will have better accommodations upon completion of MSU’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
“People join clubs for camaraderie, and right now the space makes that difficult,” Bertcher said. “Most table tennis clubs have all their tables in one open area, where you can see matches happening and challenge other players. That’s what we want.”
It wasn't long ago that practices often saw low turnout. Bertcher said the organization lacked structure when he joined MSU’s table tennis club last year.
“When I came to MSU, I joined the table tennis club, but it wasn’t very big,” Bertcher said. “There was no structure, and honestly, I felt like a lost puppy just roaming around. You would just show up from 7 to 10 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and play. Sometimes people were there, sometimes they weren’t. There wasn’t any organization at all.”
Bertcher said his biggest responsibility as president is raising money. He has received funding through loans from family and friends, as well as support from ASMSU, Michigan State University’s student government, where he presents funding requests to a board.
“ASMSU has been incredible. They’ve funded this club for years, and I’m really grateful for that support,” Bertcher said.
The club competes in several in and out-of-state tournaments each year, with expenses for housing, lodging, and travel quickly adding up.
“Our T-shirts alone cost about $740,” Bertcher said, adding that the club has relied on personal loans to cover expenses. “Our vice president loaned me money, our adviser loaned me money, and my parents still have an interest-free loan out to me. For our regional tournament in New York, I have to fly people out, find lodging and cover food. It adds up fast.”
The table tennis club is not limited to experienced or highly competitive players. Bertcher said he has helped create a welcoming environment for players of all skill levels.
“We’re a club, so we have people who can barely hit the ball over the net, and we have people who’ve gone to other countries to compete,” Bertcher said. “There’s no real skill gap — just a huge range.”
The inviting culture has stood out to newer members, who say it’s what makes them show up twice a week.
“I’ve been playing for about two years, but this is my first year truly taking it seriously,” said Elijah Rodabaugh, a junior kinesiology major. “Everyone has been improving, and it’s getting really fun. Sam, the president, has been so nice to me, and everyone is always in a good mood when they’re here. There’s no bad blood. It’s always a fun time.”
For players like Rodabaugh, personal improvement and advancing within the club have become key goals.
“I honestly just want to keep improving,” Rodabaugh said. “It would be cool if I could join the A or B team because they are the ones who truly compete. Right now I’m on the junior varsity team, so my goal is to make it onto the B team.”
Bertcher said the club has even influenced at least one player’s decision to attend Michigan State.
“One of our best players chose MSU partly because we had a table tennis club,” Bertcher said. “That was the icing on the cake for him.”
Bertcher’s ultimate goal during his tenure as club president is to build a program that is sustainable beyond his time at MSU.
“I want to build a sustainable program, something that lasts after I’m gone,” Bertcher said.