I want opinions on my chances of pro

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also helps that huge is an athletic freak. I found some pictures of him when he was only 13:

clipping – Página 4 – Hugo Calderano

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hugocalderano.wordpress.com

Already tall and a huge arm span. From what I've heard, he's a natural at any sport he plays. One of those types of talents where its not fair how good they are at everything.

You would think he was born with long arms and the rest of the body just caught up later.

 

[Jslick89]

You would think he was born with long arms and the rest of the body just caught up later.

who knows, but i would say he's not a very good measuring stick for the rest of us because hes an elite level physical talent. Even though he's not the best table tennis player in the world, he might be the most physically talented if youre talking purely about the combination of strength and agility,

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Good topic, TensorBackhand, but maybe create a separate thread for it? I don't know in terms of what age they started, but ... Michael Jordan failed to make the varsity team as a sophomore in high school. He went on to become arguably the GOAT of basketball. Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round (199th overall pick) of the 2000 draft. He went on to become arguably the GOAT of American Football. Both had incredible work ethic.

I think team sports differs greatly to individual sports as team chemistry, strategy, etc plays a huge role in the results. I wonder if there are individual sports comparisons?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

In the sport we all love and are here to talk about:

Danny Seemiller didn't start until he was 13-14.

His father was a former TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt player, but Benedikt Duda didn't take up the sport in earnest until he was 10.

Hugo Calderano started at playing at 8, but didn't focus in on TT until somewhere between 12-14.

Hugo was already in Europe full time at 12 or 13
So he had no focus prior to making the big move?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Duda is probably rare in tt today, but his father was the manager of a TTBL club so he had a lot of resources at his disposal.

 

[shaibu]

I've been reading this thread, a kid has a dream, why so many adults are so eager to tell him his dream is never going to happen? Is that what you guys wanted to hear when you were kids and had your dreams?

As for the examples of late bloomers in the world of sports, here is Jalen Brunson for you:

He's probably 11-12 in this video, his dad is drilling him pretty hard, but there is not much there at this point. Just a regular kid, no better than thousands and thousands of kids at his age. Never projected to be a big star out of college, drafted in the second round. But since that time as a kid he's been training the hardest and he's never stopped. Now look at him, at 28 he's a superstar and a top 10 basketball player in the world.

 

[BlopChock]

who knows, but i would say he's not a very good measuring stick for the rest of us because hes an elite level physical talent. Even though he's not the best table tennis player in the world, he might be the most physically talented if youre talking purely about the combination of strength and agility,

Yes, and obviously exceptionally smart, what with being a polyglot to the tune of seven languages.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I've been reading this thread, a kid has a dream, why so many adults are so eager to tell him his dream is never going to happen? Is that what you guys wanted to hear when you were kids and had your dreams?

i think many have told him on what to do to be able to reach his dreams.
some have gave blessings and didn't suggest on what to do to reach for his dreams.
but the kid has a full glass attitude, and maybe now he is starting to realized that his comfort zone won't get him far.

As for the examples of late bloomers in the world of sports, here is Jalen Brunson for you:

He's probably 11-12 in this video, his dad is drilling him pretty hard, but there is not much there at this point. Just a regular kid, no better than thousands and thousands of kids at his age. Never projected to be a big star out of college, drafted in the second round. But since that time as a kid he's been training the hardest and he's never stopped. Now look at him, at 28 he's a superstar and a top 10 basketball player in the world.

its unfair to compare team sports.
the population count for team sports is just so much greater in basketball versus that of table tennis - thus creation a more possible approach to a dream.

nba you can have 15 players per team x 30 teams, so that is career pathway for 450 players, and that is only 1 league and with 10+ leagues around the world, we talking thousands of career options
In table tennis, the whole world, we will have less than half of 450 in careers, and 1/10 of 450 that can be "well off".
in table tennis, if you can't become best or top 2 or 3 in your country, you will never be able to be that 1/10 of 450.
Probably the 1000th position in basketball in the world, or even 2000th is better off than a table tennis top 50.

In table tennis, you have so much drop outs by 15, while basketball, the push just gets heavier at the same age.

 

[BlopChock]

Duda is probably rare in tt today, but his father was the manager of a TTBL club so he had a lot of resources at his disposal.

Yes, I mentioned his paternal advantage.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Yes, I mentioned his paternal advantage.

being a former club player, compared to a manager of a club is very different, so I felt it was important to note that.
there is no guarantee a former player can provide club support to a kid.
management is a total different ball game.

never the less, Duda's resource is light years advance than KTT.

It is so important to start young and start right

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Hugo was already in Europe full time at 12 or 13
So he had no focus prior to making the big move?

My memory was on Kirill where he moved to Beijing for 2 years, than Germany.

So Hugo left home at that age to a top academy in Brazil and 16 to France. and 17 to Germany.
Some says he was in Europe for stints earlier than 16 already.
never the less, Hugo is not a normal athlete and could easily become national team for 2 or 3 sports.
The key message is, he still had to leave the comfort of his home to train / excel in table tennis.

 

[BlopChock]

Hugo was already in Europe full time at 12 or 13
So he had no focus prior to making the big move?

I didn't say he "had no focus", I was saying it wasn't his primary one until then.

"Born in Rio de Janeiro, he started playing table tennis at the age of eight. Since his mother, father and grandfather were physical education teachers, the boy was encouraged to play sports from an early age. From the age of 10 to 12, he was a member of the Rio volleyball team"

"At the age of 14, Calderano left Rio de Janeiro, and the Laranjeiras club, home of Fluminense, where he trained, for São Caetano do Sul, in São Paulo"

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I didn't say he "had no focus", I was saying it wasn't his primary one until then.

"Born in Rio de Janeiro, he started playing table tennis at the age of eight. Since his mother, father and grandfather were physical education teachers, the boy was encouraged to play sports from an early age. From the age of 10 to 12, he was a member of the Rio volleyball team"

"At the age of 14, Calderano left Rio de Janeiro, and the Laranjeiras club, home of Fluminense, where he trained, for São Caetano do Sul, in São Paulo"

well, who knows how much time he invested in table tennis at 8 years old.
he did start young and it could be 1/3 of the time or 1/2 for all we know, that is still something.

This is no difference than some of our kids, like Hildy Chen, who is a full time TT player in Taiwan, made USA junior national team that also focuses on academics too. She isn't full time in table tennis compared to many others that are.

Lu Shan-Ying, same age as her, is even stronger academically (and table tennis) and even reach U19 national team for Taiwan (something Hildy didn't achieve) and chosen to end her career to focus full time in academics and getting into the top high school (requirement is by grades). She also hold USA and Aus passports, and I discussed with her around a TT dream - she can replace the Aus U19 no1 player and build from there should she wish to continue playing (Aus U19 no 1 trained in Taiwan and can't get a set off her) and aim for 2032 olympics

 

[BlopChock]

Yes, my post was a reply to Tensorbackhand's - with a few exceptions to the rule of early start that came to mind.

Ma Long - age 5
FZD - 5
SYS - 5
Chen Meng - 7
Lin Yun-ju - 9
Dima Ovtcharov - 4
Timo Boll - 4
A & F Lebrun - 3
Waldner - 5
Truls - 6
Samsonov - 6
Szocs - 6
Aruna - 7
Mima Ito - 2

etcetera etcetera

 

[lightspin]

I don't think anyone is trying to destroy KTT's dream. We are just trying to say "Based on what we know, this is what you need to do to break in the top 50 because that is pretty much what everyone in the past has done." The advice I give is exactly the same advice I would give any American kid at age 11 who wanted to be a pro.

Making the NFL is easier than being top 50 in table tennis.
Breaking 4 in the mile is easier than being top 50 in table tennis.
Becoming a tenured professor at an Ivy League college is easier than being top 50 in table tennis.

All three of the above are hard to do. It is just the stars need to align perfectly for someone to break into the top 50, especially from the USA. If the kid plays 3-4 hours a day he could be on the national team one day which is a phenomenal achievement. The bar is way higher however if you want to be top 50 in the world.

 

[pong99]

I've been reading this thread, a kid has a dream, why so many adults are so eager to tell him his dream is never going to happen? Is that what you guys wanted to hear when you were kids and had your dreams?

As for the examples of late bloomers in the world of sports, here is Jalen Brunson for you:

He's probably 11-12 in this video, his dad is drilling him pretty hard, but there is not much there at this point. Just a regular kid, no better than thousands and thousands of kids at his age. Never projected to be a big star out of college, drafted in the second round. But since that time as a kid he's been training the hardest and he's never stopped. Now look at him, at 28 he's a superstar and a top 10 basketball player in the world.

Jalen Brunson is the son of an NBA player who is now an assistant coach for the Knicks.

He was a top high school player and a first team all american on a championship team in college. I wouldn't call him a late bloomer.

It's great that Jalen was able to take advantage of his genetics and family knowledge, but he's far from a regular kid.

 

[BlopChock]

What are some sports that are known to have pros and champions who started late?

I only know of boxing. Sergio Martinez and Deontay Wilder both became world champions and only started training in their 20s.

To return to TB's original query, here's an interesting read:

Top 14 Late Bloomers In Sports

It is assumed that most professional athletes began to master their craft when they were still in diapers, and in many cases this is true. These athletes showed their potential very early on and many

www.thesportster.com

 

[BlopChock]

And another, with an intro that seems quite relevant to our young dreamer:

High school bench to the pros due to different reasons.

Some of the best pro athletes who were not high varsity players.

www.gftskills.com

 

[JJ Ng]

If youre in business already to this degree at 12 years of age then why table tennis?

Agree. That's why I said there is nothing wrong with being a semi-pro like Adam and Dan/Tom from TTD. Really, many top 50 or top 100 pro players who are not from either China or Japan (where there is lots of endorsement $$$) will die for what Adam and Dan/Tom are able to accomplish.

Train hard. Have fun. Fool around a bit here and there (with snakes). It will take you far in life!

I started playing when I was 13. I already knew I was not going to be a top player because I played against 1800-2200 junior players 3 times a week in group lessons. Fast forward 30+ year, none of those 12-15 year old 1800-2200 juniors are still playing ping pong. I still enjoy the sport for the fun, fitness and social aspect. But as usual, I would go to the club regularly for 3-4 months then disappear for 3-4 months. Life gets busy. It is just the way it is.

p.s. some of the best juniors I played with all had siblings who played at home. Many of them, their dad's were like 1300-1500 level players so they got these kids started and let the coach took over after that. I know because when we were short a player, these dads were more than happy to train with us in group lessons! I have an older sister who does not play any sports. Guess what is the best part of my game? Serves. Because I used to serve by myself for hours in the basement on the ping pong table in between studying. If I was bored studying, I just went downstairs to practice serves. Forehand. Backhand. Side spin. Side top. Side under. Hitting different locations on the table. Long. Short. Half long. On and on and on. We had no internet in the 1990's. I also read a lot of books on ping pong which, frankly, were pretty useless.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Jalen Brunson is the son of an NBA player who is now an assistant coach for the Knicks.

He was a top high school player and a first team all american on a championship team in college. I wouldn't call him a late bloomer.

It's great that Jalen was able to take advantage of his genetics and family knowledge, but he's far from a regular kid.

Basically a perfect example of hitting the benchmarks around ages 14 (2400 minimum, probably 2500) and 18 (2650+) that I and others have suggested for KTT... lol, that backfired.