Are you looking for a fun way to bring the friendly competitive spirit alive this winter? Lucky for you, the iconic Paddle Palace Club is right up the street, in downtown Tigard! Whether between family, friends, or coworkers, table tennis boasts opportunities for laughter and camaraderie.
Before we let you in on all the offerings of Paddle Palace, let’s talk about their iconic roots. It all started in 1971 when Judy Hoarfrost, Paddle Palace owner and winner of multiple Table Tennis championships, was just fifteen years old competing on the U.S.A. Table Tennis team at the World Table Tennis Championships. During that time, China was fairly isolated, with no real lines of diplomacy to the United States. In a historic move, Team U.S.A. (of which Hoarfrost was a part of) was invited to tour China and meet with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. That trip is now commonly referred to as “Ping Pong Diplomacy,” marking the first olive branch between the two countries during that time. Hoarfrost notes the overarching mantra for that trip was “friendship first, competition second.” Judy beams as she notes, “It doesn’t matter how old they are, where they came from, how much money they have, what their job is, we have a common commonality, which is the sport of table tennis.” (Did we mention the Paddle Palace roots are iconic?)
Offering this background story, Judy notes, “People can create a connection through sport.” Which is exactly why you should be corralling your family, friends, and coworkers into planning a trip to the Paddle Palace Club. If they’re not convinced, you can pitch it as a fun way to burn off some of those holiday calories.
The Paddle Palace Club provides several offerings for various skill levels, with classes, leagues (junior and advanced), private lessons, tournaments, and even reserving a guest table for just you and your people. Check out the Paddle Palace Club website for more information on hours, prices, memberships, leagues and more at paddlepalaceclub.com.
If you need new gear, or fancy playing table tennis at home, you can find supplies next door at the Paddle Palace equipment shop or online at paddlepalace.com. Their experienced staff are ready to help you find the perfect paddle selection for all levels of play.
Downtown Tigard is open for business. In order to encourage shopping locally and supporting downtown businesses during the holiday season, the City of Tigard does not allow non-essential construction between Thanksgiving and New Years in downtown Tigard. Shop downtown Tigard to support the many small, locally-owned businesses.
