Club member news

Top video: v1. Bottom video: v2

Club member, Pak, is on a mission to create a “let detector” AKA a notifier that a ball has hit the net on a serve. Please talk to Pak for more information and to see it in action! I hope this becomes an Instructable or other type of DIY project for both clubs and professionals.

Information from Pak:

Process

1. Identifying a sensor that senses “minute” vibrations of a table tennis net. After some considerations, I purchased this cheap accelerometer (ADXL335 3-Axis) from Amazon which claimed to have high sensitivity. I stay away from 6-axis accelerometers.
2. Identifying a microcontroller that has programmable analog components to interface with the “sensor.” This is easy since I am familiar with the Cypress Semiconductor PSoC. PSoC is a microcontroller with programmable analog components. In particular, I need a PSoC which has at least two analog to digital converters (ADC).

At this moment, I am using a Cypress CY3210 Evaluation Board to prototype the “let detector.” The main control loop is written in the “C” programming language. It took me about half a day to get everything working.

I coded everything from fresh and nothing is lifted off any websites.

This project was inspired by the introduction of TTR in ITTF world cup April 2025, and VAR in soccer.

What happens

Currently, when my “let detector” senses vibration of the net, it flashes an LED. The accelerometer needs to be hung off the net which probably is a violation of the official table tennis rules.

The 2nd version now has sensitivity adjustment.

Future

I have seen table tennis competition events which use microphones (sound) to assist the umpire to detect a “let.” Let’s see if I can also incorporate sound as a mean to detect a “let” in my “let detector” version 2.0.

Heard from Ronald the other day and he sent these great pics of him at his new club in the Córdoba area of Spain.

Ronald at his new club in Spain

Ronald at his new club in Spain

Long-time SCTTC member Ronald Donkervoort is leaving the farming, the rain, and more to retire in southern Spain. We are all jealous and hope he doesn’t forget us! Maybe he’ll send some photos/videos of playing table tennis in Spain. We had a great send off a couple weeks ago. He will be missed.

In January 2023, our very own Debbie scored 1st Place in the under 1300 category at a competition (LYTTC Barry Dattel Memorial) in New Jersey! Congrats!

An Adventurous Life

Congrats to Debbie! She was the Champion in the USATT Under 1100 Singles. This was at the Swan competition in Sunnyvale last weekend. Maybe next time we can get some video!

Paco (left) and Ed (right), on Paco’s last day at the SCTTC.

Long-time SCTTC member, Paco Bonilla, is trading in the Santa Cruz life for life in Hawaii. We will miss him and his crazy serves, but wish him well and enjoyment of the island life. Thanks to those who brought in cake and cookies!

Thank you to David Rudesill for allowing us to post this here. I think it represents what a lot of thought of Willie’s generosity.

Dear friends,

I regret not being here in person, but it’s very important to me to share how much Willy has meant over the course of my life.

I walked into the Santa Cruz table tennis club as an adolescent, 13 or 14 years years old. I was greeted by men with smiling faces and encouragement to play this sport that ties our lives together. I’ve always know Richard as “Willy” and along with Jim Langley, Jon Pierre, Stephan Pollard, and many others, I was welcomed into what has become a second family for me.

Willy sits at the center table of this ping pong family of ours. I see his big smile, that grin of encouragement. He was a man that lived with a sparkle in his eye and he was always only encouraging of me and my brother as we progressed over the years. Willy never said a word of discouragement to anyone. He was an ambassador to the Santa Cruz Table Tennis Club and a man of supreme integrity and character. Willy always encouraged me to improve, and back in the day always stood just beyond the barrier rooting me on to beat Hans, or Jim, or Charlie, or Chris, or Peter…a list of amazing men that I cannot entirely name right now. But Willy was steadfast in his support of my brother and I, clapping and cheering when we did well, offering some helpful advice if I lost in the 5th.

There are people in this life that are not blood related, but in time become like family. Willy is such a man to me, and I will forever hold him in the inner sanctum of my heart as a fatherly man who ushered me through adolescence and then my twenties with smiles, laughs, fun, and unwavering integrity.

When I think of Willy I think of how he played table tennis; his back hand serve, his pendulum serve…Willy played table tennis like lightning waiting to strike, and when he went all in he threw the entirety of himself into a backhand punch or Forehand slam that was like getting hit by Mike Tyson. When he went for the kill the ball did not come back.

Willy loved the game of table tennis, it’s what brought us together in life, the thread that connects our lives. Somewhere along the way I loved him like an uncle or godfather and I can picture his radiant, caring smile right now, and I will Willy’s smile and love for life with me for the remainder of my own.

I’m very sad he’s left us, it’s very emotional to write these words and I’m glad that he’s surrounded by his table tennis brothers and sisters that loved him so much.

With love, David Rudesill