This last week our family went to Las Vegas to participate in the
US National Tournament. We stayed in the Marriott Wyndham hotel. We had a suite with three rooms. We had Austin's Table Tennis Coach, Glenn Brown stay in one of the rooms with us. We had a fun time. The days were long as we spent the entire day at the Convention Center.
Austin played in 4 events, Jacob in 2 events, and I played in 3 events. I hadn't been practicing very much leading up to this tournament and bombed pretty bad last month in the Utah Open so I was pretty sure I was going to lose points. Currently I'm rated at 1447. I played in the 1800 & U, 1600 & U, 1500 & U events. I played very well and my final results were 7 wins - 4 losses. I advanced in the
1500 & Under and made it into quarterfinals, but lost to a cute
Indian kid. He won the first game, I won the second and he got two more to kick me out of the division. All in all a very fun tournament for me.
Austin did well to, although he was emotionally disappointed when he did lose. He still needs to work on his attitude. I was watching
Ethan Chua play. That kid is the full package. He's very talented and when he makes a mistake he blows it off and doesn't let it affect his next point.
Jacob played well. We need to get him some special training with Glenn as well. Up until now he hasn't shown any real interest in the sport, which has changed.
Cathi stayed at the hotel with the kids the second day. The first and third days were very long for her and the kids. They had fun running around, but its a long day. Next year they'll stay home.
We gave a fellow Utah Table Tennis player, Meg Tsedenbal, a ride home to Salt Lake from Vegas. She was pleasant to ride with and we enjoyed her company. When we got to St. George we all went to Golden Corral. Oliver, who is 18 months was eating and in his delight would often yell out. Not scream, but just yell out in joy. An old couple who were eating there (probably for their 50th wedding anniversary) and I heard the old man say not too quietly, "We picked the wrong side of this restaurant". I laughed out loud when I heard that.
Here is a video highlight:
Austin did well to, although he was emotionally disappointed when he did lose. He still needs to work on his attitude. I was watching Ethan Chua play. That kid is the full package. He's very talented and when he makes a mistake he blows it off and doesn't let it affect his next point.
Jacob played well. We need to get him some special training with Glenn as well. Up until now he hasn't shown any real interest in the sport, which has changed.
We gave a fellow Utah Table Tennis player, Meg Tsedenbal, a ride home to Salt Lake from Vegas. She was pleasant to ride with and we enjoyed her company. When we got to St. George we all went to Golden Corral. Oliver, who is 18 months was eating and in his delight would often yell out. Not scream, but just yell out in joy. An old couple who were eating there (probably for their 50th wedding anniversary) and I heard the old man say not too quietly, "We picked the wrong side of this restaurant". I laughed out loud when I heard that.
Here is a video highlight: