Table tennis is a fast-paced sport that requires excellent hand and eye coordination. Special Olympics athletes demonstrate the necessary elements of power and finesse in order to play table tennis.

In addition to offering traditional singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, Special Olympics table tennis offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic table tennis skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to match play. These skills include racket bounce, forehand and backhand volley and serving.

Athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® doubles and mixed doubles events. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports table tennis, a team consists of one Special Olympics athlete and one partner.

As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.

• Since its introduction at the 1987 Special Olympics World Games, where 12 athletes competed, participation in table tennis has grown tremendously.
• At the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games in North Carolina, USA, 180 Special Olympics athletes from 47 Programs competed in table tennis.
• 231 athletes from 59 programs competed in table tennis at the 2003 World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland.
• Participation in table tennis at the state level has averaged approximately 30 athletes since 1995. For more information about table tennis or Winter Games, contact Pam Bergerson.  
• Athletes from six Minnesota delegations currently participate in table tennis and are primarily from Bemidji (Area 2), Cambridge-Isanti Area (Area 7) and Metro Table Tennis (Area 12) with athletes from the CLO Lakers (Area 7), the Pheasants (Area 11), and the South Region Stars (Area 12) also participating.
• In addition to competing in table tennis at Winter Games, athletes can also participate in Table Tennis competition in Area 7 (Central area) and in a winter league at the Moore Lake Northwest Athletic Club location in Fridley.

Special Olympics Incorporated Table Tennis Coaching Guide

Table Tennis Coaches Training Schools

Table Tennis Participation by Delegation, Area and Level – Use this link to find a delegation offering table tennis in your area.

Table Tennis Recertification Test

Table Tennis Tips at Knowledge Hound