USATT LEAGUE of the Month - May/June 2006

W.C. Cleveland Junior Table Tennis League

By Ralph Presley 

Junior League has been running since 2000

Named after the famous Mr. W.C. Cleveland. who passed away in September 2002, the Junior League hosts players from the Greater Atlanta Area. The League started as a vision of four prominent coaches. From the beginning, Richard McAfee, W.C. Cleveland, George Cooper and the author Coach Ralph “RADAR” Presley had a vision to start junior league play. Former players who came through the league include such champions as Lee McCool, John Mar, Preston Chin, Robert Andersson, Aldis Presley, and Alex Yadgarov, all rated over 2000.

The League plays on Sunday afternoons in the month of January and February using the two-man Davis Cup format. From the inception there were four teams: Coan Park, coached by George Cooper; Ben Hill, coached by Ralph Presley; Chastain Park, coached by Richard McAfee; and Whitehead Boys and Girls Club, coached by Mr. Cleve.  

The League has added new Clubs

The league was originally called the Central Atlanta Junior Table Tennis League. After the passing of Mr. Cleveland, the name was changed in his honor. The League now has a team from Augusta, GA. Coach Xin Peng, the number one active rated player in Georgia, coaches them. We also have two other teams that are located outside the city limits, the Carrollton Georgia Parks and Recreation and the Newnan Georgia Boys and Girls Club. Both Teams travel over 50 miles to participate. Other Teams are from West Hunter Street Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Hapeville Recreation Center and the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.

Playing a League with so many different types of players, we play four groups. The groups are Open, U-1300, U-1000, and U-750. We want to develop our young players and not discourage them. All players who participate receive a trophy, which are presented at the Season ending Banquet. Play lasts about two hours and the kids love meeting other kids from different walks of life. They find out that kids are the same everywhere you go, no matter where you go. Maybe, if the world played more junior leagues, there would not be so much violence. Much like the Little League World Series, it brings all Nations together in peaceful competition. We could have Junior League competition for the grass roots developing players as well as the elite players.

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