Bay State Games

The Bay State Games (http://www.baystategames.org) is the Massachusetts State Olympics. The Summer Games are held every year in the middle of July. This year, the table tennis event will be held July 16, 2011, at the Boston TTC (http://www.bostonttc.us/).

THE FORMAT THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS! PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW!

ELIGIBILITY: Athletes are eligible for the Bay State Games table tennis event if they meet at least one of the following requirements:

   Full-time resident of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Rhode Island for at least thirty days prior to the event date.

   Full-time student at an academic institution in Massachusetts.

   Member of a Massachusetts table tennis club. The club must be your exclusive "contact" with the sport. Athletes using the club membership for eligibility may not be a member of a non-Massachusetts club.

T-SHIRT: Everyone who enters the table tennis event receives a Bay State Games T-shirt.

AWARDS: The top three finishers in each singles event receive medals and Bay State Games jackets. The top three teams in each doubles event receive medals. Athletes who medal in more than one singles event will receive only one jacket.

SINGLES EVENTS: The singles events are

   Age 8-18
   Age 19-39
   Age 40-59
   Age 60 and Up
   Open (age 8 and up)
   Novice 8-18
   Novice 19 and Up

All events are open to both males and females. Ages are as of the date of the event.

To be eligible for the Novice events, athletes must either have no USATT (www.usatt.org) or Ratings Central (www.ratingscentral.com) ratings or their USATT and Ratings Central ratings must both be less than 800 for the Novice 8-18 or less than 1000 for the Novice 19 and Up.

Athletes may enter at most two singles events. Athletes will play at least three matches in each singles event.

DOUBLES EVENTS: Doubles events will be held if and only if time permits. Only athletes who enter a singles event may play doubles.

VENUE: Boston Table Tennis Center (http://www.bostonttc.us/) in Medford. The Boston TTC is air conditioned and has six ITTF-approved tables, bright lighting, and a wood playing floor. Reasonably-priced drinks will be available.

DIRECTIONS: http://www.bostonttc.us/Directions.htm. If you follow the directions, the club is easy to find. If you try to find the club without following the directions or by using an online mapping service, you may have trouble because the club is behind Mystic Ave. and is not visible from Mystic Ave. There is plenty of parking.

RATINGS: Singles matches count for Ratings Central ratings (http://www.ratingscentral.com/), but not for USATT ratings.

ENTRY FEE AND DEADLINE: Entry fee is $30 by mail (check, money order), $33 online (credit card), or $40 at the event (check, money order, cash; exact change; no credit cards). Mail and online entries must be received by Wednesday, July 13, 2011. For an entry form or to enter online, visit

   http://www.baystategames.org/html/bsgwww/summergames/sports/tabletennis.html

If entering at the event, please print out the entry form, fill it out, and bring it with you.

STARTING TIMES

   10 a.m.: Age 8-18, Novice 8-18
   12 noon: Age 19-39, Novice 19 and Up
   2 p.m.: Open
   4 p.m.: Age 40-59, Age 60 and Up

Athletes must arrive by the starting times of their events. Events may run past the starting time of the next event. Athletes must be prepared to stay as long as necessary.

PREVIOUS GAMES

For information on previous Bay State Games, see

   http://www.davidmarcus.com/Tournaments/BayStateGames.htm