The air is hot and the tensions are high. This is a match for territory. Central District versus International District . Garfield versus the Orient. A contest for the ages.

I could have been talking about any sport just now. It could have been basketball, or baseball; soccer or football; ice hockey or even curling. But no, the great sport of ping pong is the name of the game and if you come to the teen life center after school everyday, you can see just what all the talk is about.

It all started in the ’05 – ’06 school year with David Melmon, a senior at the time.

Ping pong club continued to gain in members and popularity for one more year. The next year, however, the move to Lincoln was just too much for this young organization and they split. After the return to Garfield and their home turf, the club is back in action and looking to rule the league.

For now, Garfield’s home turf is the teen life center, located between the performing arts center and Medgar Evers pool (If you haven’t been down there yet I sincerely advise you to check it out. There is pool, ping pong, a basketball court– they even have air hockey!)

“We found out that the teen life center has a table and is getting six more,” said senior captain Neil Eddington. “We play [at the teen life center] every day and have matches with other community centers.”

Eddington, Stefan Dabroski, Ian Collicott, and Matt Cerf are the four most devoted members of this squad who show up regularly to pong. “Me and Stefan, I would say, are equal at number one,” said Eddington.

Their most frequent competitors are teams from the international district. The teen life center arranges their matches with other community centers from the surrounding area and seeing as ping pong is the national sport of China, teams are abundant throughout the international district.

As of right now, ping pong club consists of a few white males, most of whom are upperclassmen. However, if you think you can play with these boys and help them give the ID a run for their money, head on down to the teen life center after school and show them what you got.