USA Table Tennis

ELIGIBILITY

In order to participate and qualify for USATT hope team a player must be:

• Born on or after January 1, 2008*
• U.S. citizen and member of USATT in good standing


* Athletes under the age of 15 can participate in the Hopes training camp, subject to space availability, but they cannot play in the Hopes tournament.  However, priority will be given to those born on or after January 1, 2008.

GOALS

The main purpose of the USATT Hopes Program-Road to LA is to help the development of young players in the U.S., for them to find out what they are capable of, and to prepare them for the next phase of their development journey.

To maximize our youth players’ participation, training, education and competition while creating a positive environment and experience through the sport of table tennis that could last for a lifetime.

From USATT perspective, the main goals & expectations of the Hopes Program for 2020 are:

• To strengthen USATT’s working relationships with Clubs 
• Talent ID of our youth table tennis players to support the pipeline of developing players to reach Olympic level for Team USA 
• Talent ID for local coaches to build a future pipeline of potential development & national youth coaches to support USATT and Team USA needs
• To provide consistent Hopes training camps and tournaments nationwide
• To develop and strengthen the relationship with parents and youth players – educational process, while providing a safe environment
• To set up the foundation for USATT Future Hopes program

2020 USATT HOPES PROGRAM - Road to LA – Structure / Timeline / Location / Qualification /Fee

The Hopes program is structured in four (4) Stages. Each stage will award the top 2 male and top 2 female players with qualification for the USA National Hopes Week and Challenge.

Stage I – 2020 USATT Hopes Program- Road to LA- Regional Qualifications

Six (6) Regional locations – USATT Hopes Training Camps & Qualifier Tournaments 

Visit Omni-Pong to register: https://www.omnipong.com/t-tourney.asp

• Schedule
  • February 7-9, 2020 – Lily Yip Table Tennis Center, NJ - RESULTS
  • February 14-16, 2020 – Spin & Smash Table Tennis & Ping Pong Center, OH - RESULTS
  • February 21-23, 2020 – Houston International Table Tennis Academy, TX - RESULTS
  • February 28 - March 1, 2020 – ICC Table Tennis, CA - RESULTS
  • March 6-8, 2020 – Westford Table Tennis Club, MA
  • March 13-15, 2020 – Maryland TTC, MD - Cancelled

Each event will be 3-days long and will include: up to 2 training sessions per day, and on the last day at the end of each Hopes training camp, there shall be a sanctioned Hopes tournament.

In each training camp, participants will receive expert coaching and training by the hosting club local coach(es) in a fun, educational, rewarding environment in which they will meet, learn, and share experiences. A U.S. Olympian will participate in the camp and share his/her athlete experience with participants.

Each host location will determine the number of participants based on the number of available tables.
Entire Camp Participation is strongly recommended but not mandated.

All players wishing to qualify for ITTF Hope Team must participate and qualify through all stages.

• Non-Refundable Entry fee - (camp and tournament included) - $125/player/ event.
• Travel, lodging and meal expenses - are the responsibility of parents and/or sponsors.
• Entry deadline/Registration:  Each event will have a deadline to enter and register that will be
  posted on tournament site at: https://www.omnipong.com/t-tourney.asp

Qualification system:

• The Top 4 Boy and 4 Girl Finishers in the Six Regional Stage 1 Camp Tournaments receive an invitation to participate in Stage Two. Additional Invitations to participate in Stage Two may become available should vacancies occur If a vacancy becomes available, it will be filled, at the sole discretion by the USATT’s High Performance Director, who will weigh, the following criteria to fill the vacancy – performance results, size and participation levels at each regional tournament, and coaches recommendation.

• Playing format: round-robin first stage with top two advancing from each group to a single-elimination knock out with cross over matches to determine the winner and runner up, and each of the top 8 finishers. The playing format could be adjusted/changed if entries are low. 

Hopes participants may choose to take part in one or more of the regional Hopes camps & tournaments. This is a national tour and there are no geographical boundaries or restrictions for U.S. Hopes eligible participants.  However, space may be limited at one or more locations; we recommend registering and entering as early as possible.  Once a player automatically qualifies through a regional qualification tournament to the second stage, he/she cannot compete in any additional 2020 Hopes regional tournaments.

Stage II – 2020 USATT Hopes Program- Road to LA- National Qualifications 

1 (one) National – USATT Hopes Week Training Camp & Challenge

• April 22-26, 2020 – Samson Dubina Table Tennis Academy, Akron, OH - Postponed

This is a 4-day long event and will include: 1 training session on Wednesday (evening), 2 training sessions on Thursday & Friday, and a sanctioned national hopes tournament on Saturday & Sunday (finishing early afternoon). The training camp will be run by Samson Dubina, Chance Friend, and Sameh Awadallah and one more National Team coach. 

Full camp participation is strongly recommended but not mandated.

• Non-refundable entry fee - (camp and tournament included): $325/player.
• Travel lodging and meals expenses- are the responsibility of parents and/or sponsors.
• Entry deadline: to be announced in the event prospectus at: https://www.omnipong.com/t-tourney.asp 
• Qualification: Event to be announced shortly. 
  Top 8 boys and 8 girls will automatically qualify to stage III - ITTF North America Hopes Week and Challenge to compete at continental level against Canada
  • Playing format: To be determined
• Should the playing field be expanded or if a vacancy materializes, the next in line ranked Stage II participant will receive an invitation.

Stage III – ITTF North America Hopes Week and Challenge

1 (one) Continental – ITTF Hopes Week Training Camp & Challenge

• Date - May 2020 - Exact date and location TBD

This is the Continental event and it will be a combined join training camp and tournament with Canadian players.

Full camp participation is required in order to enter the Hopes continental qualification tournament

ITTF North America will nominate the expert to run the training camp.

• Entry Fee: TBD 
• Travel, lodging and meal expenses- are the responsibility of parents and/or sponsors
• Qualification system:  the winner of boy’s and girl’s singles will qualify to stage IV the ITTF Hopes week.

Stage IV- ITTF International Hopes Week

1 (one) ITTF World – Hopes Week Training Camp & Challenge

• Date - August 2020- exact date and location TBD

For more info please visit: https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019-Hopes-Directives-2.0.pdf

Find all the information on Hopes Camps and tournaments Schedule and to register go to: https://www.omnipong.com/t-tourney.asp

• Download and Print Prospectus