Most students aren’t aware of the existence of Furman’s table tennis club. Fewer know that this organization once fielded a nationally competitive player, and almost no one knows that its genesis constitutes one of the most hilarious con jobs in our school’s history.
The story of this relatively unknown organization starts in the fall of 2009 with Weilun Xu, a Chinese international student and table tennis whiz who graduated in 2012. Table tennis had always been an important part of Xu’s life, so, when he met a group of freshmen eager to learn about the sport, he decided to start a club to share his interest. As he put it, “I hoped to let more American people see the fun of table tennis and know that table tennis is a legit sport instead of just a game.”
There was just one roadblock: the club needed money for rackets and balls, money they would have to raise. The idea for how to raise the money came to Xu while watching a few Furman students play recreationally: a tournament between himself and anyone who would pay to play. Xu and his freshmen friends, including future table tennis club president P.O. Cote, a 2013 graduate, posted signs around campus saying that students could pay $20 to challenge Xu in the basement of Lakeside housing. If they won, Xu would pay them $200. According to Cote, the potential winnings were enough to draw in “six or seven” different takers. Xu intentionally played each contender on his own level, only winning by a couple of points in each set. Some of his competitors decided that those close calls meant they should try again, leading to Xu raising about $160 for club supplies.
After that the club had the right number of people and enough money but lacked a faculty advisor to make their group official. Enter chemistry professor and lifelong table tennis lover Dr. Lon Knight. After bonding with Xu over their shared love of the sport, Dr. Knight became the team’s faculty advisor and helped him petition the dean for the use of a vacant room in Plyler Hall. Dr. Knight describes table tennis as his outlet, a sport both “hypnotic and enjoyable.” Dr. Knight had been competing with his students for years. Until Xu came along, however, Dr. Knight had been undefeated.
After officially creating the club, Xu set out to train his new teammates. Cote recalled Xu’s teaching style.
“I would coach us a few days a week with repetitive drills, always making sure that the technique was perfect,” Cote said. “Xu would show us movements and give us tips while always acting like he was a professional coach that we were paying.”
Through Xu’s teaching, the team improved enough to attend table tennis tournaments in the southeast, first losing regularly, but then gradually becoming more competitive. Xu began to compete in solo competitions as well, winning regional tournaments and even advancing to national competitions.
The club is now in a state of transition, as the last of the table tennis club’s founding members graduated in May. Club president Jake Saine and vice president Jake Crouse now helm this storied organization. In the coming year, Crouse hopes to teach new members about table tennis as a sport rather than simply a source of casual recreation.
“My main focus in leading the club this year is to educate the members on the rules and regulations of table tennis. It will teach them about the true sport and help them understand its tradition and brilliance,” he said.
