National table tennis prodigy Ashu Jain might have graduated, but the club he helped create as a freshman in 1997 is poised to carry on in his footsteps. All things considered, the table tennis team has big shoes to fill. Jain was basically alone in advancing the club from its humble beginnings to its current popularity on campus.

When he first started out, the team practiced in the hallway of the Sports Coliseum with only two tables at their disposal.

Jain's infectious enthusiasm brought other members to the club; nearly 120 students attended the team's mass meeting this past month to witness an exhibition showdown between past and present - superstar Jain and new club president Clement Chan.

As both player and coach in just his sophomore year, Chan would like to get a few things straight. Ping-pong is the hobby that you play with your friends in the basement - table tennis is the sport.

"In ping-pong, you can just sit there and do nothing to the ball," Chan said.

But in Chan's sport, balls sail past players at velocities that would make Randy Johnson blush. Chan stresses the necessity of mental focus in a table tennis match since games are often close and every point counts.

"It's just you and the person across the table," Chan said.

It takes certain skill to react to your opponent and anticipate his next move at the same time.

But Chan claims the physical demands of the sport can be just as daunting. The ideal table tennis athlete trains like a boxer but thinks like a chessmaster.

"Where the game is most popular, overseas, players begin training each day as early as 5 a.m., running a combination of long distances to build stamina and sprints to improve agility," Chan said.

Most national players begin development in the sport as early as preschool. Chan himself didn't pick up a paddle until his freshman year at Coral Springs High School outside of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. By chance, he happened across a pair of internationally-known coaches at a local recreational club. Impressed with the game and eager to learn more, Chan made table tennis his top priority, having already excelled in baseball.

He is looking for the team to be better this year, citing strength in numbers. Besides Chan, the table tennis squad will look to freshman Jian Lee, a talented player who hails from Singapore. Most likely, he'll combine with Chan to form a solid doubles pairing at the regional competition in Toledo before hopefully moving onto Nationals.