An ever-growing number of communities in the U.S. have table tennis centers, and with them comes an interest in the sport and playing it better. If you've purchased a new table tennis paddle and are getting more serious about your game, you might consider hiring a coach. While there is no doubt that practice matches make you a more accomplished player, some improvements are tough to make on your own. A coach can watch you play, work on improving your weaknesses, and give you training drills for crucial elements like footwork. It won't be long until you see the difference a coach can make.

You'll likely have several coaches to choose from at your local table tennis center. It's one of the opportunities you'll gain by becoming a member and playing there routinely. You can also observe coaches working with other players and see first-hand the input they have. A membership will also let you play on good quality tables with nets at regulation height, better lighting, etc. Table tennis is a game of refined skill and intense concentration. Developing as a play requires mastering many techniques that add up to a significant improvement to your game over time. Coaches will help you gain focus.

The other excellent opportunity afforded you from a table tennis center membership is the chance to meet and play against others who are serious about the game. The skill level of your practice partners needs to increase as you improve, so you're continually challenged to play better. Worthy opponents will find the areas you need to improve and show you where you need to train and practice more. When a coach watches you play against a formidable opponent, it gives insight into where your practice time is best focused. When you gain the skill you need to win against a worthy opponent, it will be a great day.

Your coach's arsenal of training exercises could be one of the essential factors in improving your table tennis playing skills over time. When first offered training drills, it's common for players to be skeptical about how they can help. But isolating things like footwork technique which is small and nuanced, brings them into much clearer focus. The subtle moves that can mean a lot in a competitive game can be practiced and better understood when isolated in a training drill. You'll see your skills develop much faster with coaching and training than you can by only playing practice matches.