The anticipation of who would win or lose filled the air as students gathered for the tournament on April 16. Excitement filled the room as players formed alliances.
The Table Tennis Club at WSU Vancouver was established last fall semester by Taylor Jones, an engineering major. According to the club members, their hopes were to have fun, and have a place to meet with their friends, but also to let some stress off on the table. The majority of the members are engineering majors, who believe the club has given them a relief from the tiring hours of homework. 
Players choose their opponent as coordinator Jimmy Huynh set up the tournament bracket. Eventually they started the game as onlookers gathered. The competitors appeared extremely focused and Vitaliy Kudrik set the pace by scoring the first score of the round. The other participants looked on and waited their turn, while some used the wait to finish homework.
John Guerrero, a junior, talked about how the club started as an idea, but soon gained notoriety. He further explains the current members and their activity level.
“The club started with seven students, but now holds around twenty, and we are the biggest and most active club on campus right now,” Guerrero stated proudly.
Meanwhile, another student member, Ethan Devine, stumbled upon the club by accident when other members were practicing and discovered that it was a major stress reliever. “Though it was not my intention to join, I now enjoy it quite a lot,” says Devine. “Ping pong helps me get my mind off tests, and books.”
Club members said the main reason students joined the club is due to ability to socialize with friends after classes or because they are stressed about school and homework.
Jimmy Huynh, a junior who has actively been a part of the club from the beginning, claimed it is a great way to stay focused.
“This is the perfect recreational opportunity to have something to do in between classes,”says Huynh. “But for some people in the club, this gives them something to look forward to, and not get destroyed by exams.”
If interested in attending a match, the Table Tennis Club meets every Monday for their weekly tournament from 2-5 p.m., as well as between classes to play with their friends.