At the request of the employees, ping-pong (or also known as table tennis) facilities were arranged at the sports grounds of the Support Office and Distribution Centre in Poltava. The distinctive thump of a tennis ball is common now. To develop the interest of Aurora employees in active leisure during breaks, 4 tournaments were organised over the past year. This not only promotes the game, but also takes it to a higher level and adds to the experience of players.
In the warm season, ping-pong is played on outside sports grounds, and in the cold season, the tables are relocated to the gym. In this way, we manage to organise tournaments almost continuously, which always last up to several months. Group games take place first, followed by the final butting games.
The competitions were held for the Aurora team in different formats, both individual and doubles. In one of the tournaments, the team could choose their own partner, while in the other it was random, which excited passion and curiosity.
The Ping-Pong Battle summer tournament has just finished. It was held in two stages: the first, the main stage, where everyone played everyone; the second stage, where the participants were divided into the Major League and the First League and the winners in both leagues were determined.
Major League:
- Kozlenko Oleksandr
- Vasko Dmytro
- Zhyla Ihor
First League:
- Dunai Oleksandr
- Pliushchyk Eduard
- Bershak Yelyzaveta
Why is ping-pong a great way to spend work break?
Playing ping-pong involves the whole body, from head to toe. That’s why this sport has many benefits for both physical and mental health, since:
- Improves visual concentration.
- Strengthens the body, especially the joints and muscles of the back and arms.
- Helps to lose weight.
- Develops balance.
- Stimulates brain function.
- Improves reflexes.
Oleksandr Kozlenko, who has participated in all ping-pong tournaments for Aurora employees and won or took an award-winning place every time, shared his secret of success in this sport:
“My father taught me how to hold a ping-pong paddle when I was 5 or 6 years old. Being a fifth grader, I started training with a physical education teacher who had titles in volleyball and tennis. He got our whole class hooked on these sports,” Oleksandr says. “I like ping-pong because it combines physical strength, technique and intelligence. It will be impossible to achieve good results if at least one of the mentioned components is not used.”
The next doubles tournament will start in September. The teams are already preparing to properly compete for the title of “best”.
“A high place in tournaments, and especially victories, mean hard training, playing with equal or stronger opponents,” Oleksandr Kozlenko explains. “Sometimes good luck helps win a game even if a set is lost. The support of friends and colleagues is very important as well, giving confidence in abilities.
If someone wants to play ping-pong but is still hesitant, tournaments are held not only to determine the winners, but also to find new friends and new emotions.”