Finally removing my South African flag for Taiwanese flag

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Someone asked me, why do I still use South African flag in my profile banner?
well, Tony's Table Tennis project started in South Africa in 2012.
first as a coach, then as a shop, then as an agency.

fast forward 2025,

coach:
from amateur to semi pros
from 5 year old to 50 year olds
lost count, but it is hundreds of players.

shop:
still going strong and have worked with over 10 brands.

agency:
wow, this has multiplied tremendously this past 6 months. I've updated my signature too.

and something more:
youtuber (amateur youtuber to be exact)

well, I thought, maybe I should use Taiwan's flag now. If I could, I would use both flags, but Taiwan for now - so greetings to all from Taiwan.

 

[NetProphet]

Someone asked me, why do I still use South African flag in my profile banner?
well, Tony's Table Tennis project started in South Africa in 2012.
first as a coach, then as a shop, then as an agency.

fast forward 2025,

coach:
from amateur to semi pros
from 5 year old to 50 year olds
lost count, but it is hundreds of players.

shop:
still going strong and have worked with over 10 brands.

agency:
wow, this has multiplied tremendously this past 6 months. I've updated my signature too.

and something more:
youtuber (amateur youtuber to be exact)

well, I thought, maybe I should use Taiwan's flag now. If I could, I would use both flags, but Taiwan for now - so greetings to all from Taiwan.

There was a time in my childhood that it seemed almost everything was made in Taiwan and now they're making table tennis players too! Well, you are but ya catch my drift.
It's a pity my ~1500-1600 the ranking is too crappy to benefit from your coaching schools otherwise I'd love a week or two over there, it's a country I want to visit anyway, along with Vietnam.
Congratulations on your journey and a nod to your continued success 👍👍👍

 

[olive-nguyen]

Someone asked me, why do I still use South African flag in my profile banner?
well, Tony's Table Tennis project started in South Africa in 2012.
first as a coach, then as a shop, then as an agency.

fast forward 2025,

coach:
from amateur to semi pros
from 5 year old to 50 year olds
lost count, but it is hundreds of players.

shop:
still going strong and have worked with over 10 brands.

agency:
wow, this has multiplied tremendously this past 6 months. I've updated my signature too.

and something more:
youtuber (amateur youtuber to be exact)

well, I thought, maybe I should use Taiwan's flag now. If I could, I would use both flags, but Taiwan for now - so greetings to all from Taiwan.

Where in Taiwan? Taipei or somewhere south?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

There was a time in my childhood that it seemed almost everything was made in Taiwan and now they're making table tennis players too! Well, you are but ya catch my drift.
It's a pity my ~1500-1600 the ranking is too crappy to benefit from your coaching schools otherwise I'd love a week or two over there, it's a country I want to visit anyway, along with Vietnam.
Congratulations on your journey and a nod to your continued success 👍👍👍

in fact, 1500-1600 players are the easiest to coach. kindof the market Hu is aiming for - what he calls club players.
basically adult learners who knows what they want, and could understand/follow coaches direction much easier and growth potential is high.

kids - you need to work very hard for them to concentrate or for them to understand you. Very strong players - the growth is lower/slower. teaching kids from scratch is the toughest coaching job and I respect all those that is in that space.

But never the less, you always welcome to Taiwan for a holiday, it is very foreigner friendly.
Lots of places to play too.

and thank you!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Where in Taiwan? Taipei or somewhere south?

Taipei

 

[olive-nguyen]

Come to Singapore for Coaching! I will support!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Come to Singapore for Coaching! I will support!

lazy
students seek masters, not the other way around.
haha

 

[olive-nguyen]

Wrong phrasing. Visit Singapore one day and hope you like it and may consider trying it out to be a coach here. That I look forward to.


But at the same time I know perfect sense no sensible person would want to coach in a country not known or even remotely so for table tennis. Taiwan is destined then.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Wrong phrasing. Visit Singapore one day and hope you like it and may consider trying it out to be a coach here. That I look forward to.


But at the same time I know perfect sense no sensible person would want to coach in a country not known or even remotely so for table tennis. Taiwan is destined then.

haha, all good
I have been to Singapore 3 or 4 times already.
I'm not too knitted to the national setup there, but one of my friends was in a training partner in the national team for 2 or 3 years.
we also have few players that have hired Wang Yuegu as personal coach, but they visit her Chinese center, and not Singapore.

 

[riemsesy]

Wrong phrasing. Visit Singapore one day and hope you like it and may consider trying it out to be a coach here. That I look forward to.


But at the same time I know perfect sense no sensible person would want to coach in a country not known or even remotely so for table tennis. Taiwan is destined then.

Lazy coaches don’t want to change the flag to often 😂

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Lazy coaches don’t want to change the flag to often 😂

hahahaha

too busy feeding multiballs

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Wrong phrasing. Visit Singapore one day and hope you like it and may consider trying it out to be a coach here. That I look forward to.


But at the same time I know perfect sense no sensible person would want to coach in a country not known or even remotely so for table tennis. Taiwan is destined then.

Don't sell Singapore short. Quek Isaac is an excellent player. Pang Koen is very good. Ser Lin Quan and Loy Ming Ying are very promising juniors. Sorry to derail the thread. I'll stop now.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

some things I received over the years. Gift from Team USA 2014.
One of the players took his spare blade, got the team to sign at the worlds and send it to me.

 

[JackJohnson]

some things I received over the years. Gift from Team USA 2014.
One of the players took his spare blade, got the team to sign at the worlds and send it to me.

View attachment 35422

View attachment 35423

Did you coach Team USA in 2014?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Did you coach Team USA in 2014?

no, far from it.
just friends in the team gifted it to me.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

2013 - who remembers Piing of Power and Michael Maze?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

2012, one of my tallest students ever. around 2m tall.
really interesting for me to determine how to train someone with his height, worked a lot on his footwork and helped him become a stronger player. He said the few months with me, has made him realize more about table tennis than the previous 2 years with other coaches. and if only he started 2 years earlier...

I called him the South African Samsonov - both his height and friendly (giant) nature, but I made him play mid distance offensive, and no lobbing.

in the photo, I was busy explaining him on where his foot should be when he does a pivot shot. I find it that most players are struggle to create more room, because they fear the ball going cross court into their wide forehand.