Table Tennis Coaching in the Seattle Area


Coaching is essential.

Table tennis is highly stratified by skill level, with basement players rarely achieving skill levels greater than USATT 800. Skill development requires modern equipment, competent coaching and lots of practice. An hour per week of coaching and multiple hours of drills, over only a few months, can bring many new players from basement skill level up to a competitive level of club play, usually 1200 or better, so that one can legitimately battle for ratings-based national championships.

Seattle is so lucky to have a range of truly excellent coaches.

  • Thor Truelson
    • Highest US Rating: 2347
    • Current US Rating: 2200
    • USATT Certified State Coach
    • Safe-Sport Certified through USATT
    • Played in 2nd and 3rd divisions of the national leagues in Sweden and the Czech Republic
    • 2 x Icelandic Open Champion, 3 x Manitoba Open Champion, World Veteran 40-49 Consolation Champion 2014
    • Coach of University of Minnesota TT Team 2007-2010 (4th place national finish in 2008)
    • Coach of Minneapolis Southwest High School TT Team 2018-2020
    • Experience coaching players of all levels from beginners to highly advanced.
    • Available though private arrangement.
    • Contact ttviking@yahoo.com or 612-325-4443
  • Jia Qi a.k.a. Coach Judy
    • Former State Level Coach in China (Hubei), with several students having qualified for the Chinese National Team
    • Owner/Head/Inspiration of the Seattle Pacific TT Center, a world class training center for table tennis, which has become a true community center for lovers of the game and lovers of family through the game, including kids and parents in a unique and invaluable support system.
    • Several other high quality coaches work for Coach Judy at the SPTTC. This is an amazing resource, if you have the chance, use it!

  • Fan Yi Yong
    • #1 player in the US after 1998.
    • USATT Rating 2761 as of October 2002.
    • Chinese National Junior Champion at age 16.
    • Former member of Chinese National Team.
    • Available for private lessons by arrangement.
    • tel: +1-206-365-8848 (best way)
    • email: luckyyf@hotmail.com (checked occasionally)

  • Roy Sears
    • Trained as a youth in the Chinese system
    • USATT rating 2380+; ranked #7 in the US in 2010.
    • Teaches private lessons at Green Lake
    • I see his students before and after and it is a big difference.

      • Available by arrangement.
      • cell: +206-334-7842
      • email: roycsears@gmail.com
  • Ruicong Chen
    • Trained as a youth in the Chinese system
    • USATT rating around 2300
    • Teaches private lessons at Green Lake
    • Cong is a sweetheart and a great coach and training partner.

  • Sung Yang
    • Under-2100 US Open Champion, July 2002.
    • USATT-Certified State Coach 1998-2005
    • USATT-Certified Regional Coach 2005-present
    • Highest USATT Rating: 2280
    • Current USATT Rating: >2100
    • Quality lessons including:
      • Basic skills; FH and BH; Footwork.
      • Stroke technique; mechanical error pinpointing and analysis
      • Multi-ball training
      • Suitable for Beginners to USATT 2300 level players
    • Available by arrangement.
    • cell: +425-444-5013 (best way)
    • home: +425-614-1935
    • email: sy1935@msn.com (checked rarely)
    • Location: Bellevue

  • Chris Pham
    • USATT-Certified Club Coach
    • USATT Rating 2069 as of 10/2002
    • Professional table tennis coach for many years in Viet Nam.
    • Available for hourly personal lessons, scheduled by arrangement.
    • tel: 425-747-8735

  • Yazel Boudour
    • USATT Rating 1864 (Highest so far 1888)
    • Available by arrangement. At GLTTC Saturday 5-7pm, often.
    • Yazel has several years of coaching experience and receives high praise from his students. He has thought a lot about how to communicate technique in few words, and his clear and concise explanations and easily-understood analogies can teach even a complex stroke like the FH loop as well as, more easily, serves, returning serves, drive, push. Yazel is an emotionally intelligent and wise coach. One of few players in our area with a big European style forehand loop, he is well worth getting a few lessons from, to learn his secrets.
    • $40 per hour
    • Phone 206-245-0996
    • Email yazel at boudour dot com
  • Thomas Lackaff
    • USATT-Certified Club Coach
    • USATT Rating 1489 as of 4/2005
    • Spokane, Washington
    • tel: 509-869-7171
    • email: madlooper@gmail.com
  • Arlen Yan
    • Youngest Ever USATT-Certified Club Coach
    • USATT Rating ~1900
    • Available for hourly personal lessons, scheduled by arrangement.
    • Hourly Rate: $40 for non-students and $20 for students.
    • (Discounts available for non-students and students)
    • Contact: Andy Overton, uwttc@u.washington.edu

  • Thomas Veatch
    • Highest USATT Rating was 1809 in 12/2009.
    • Was President of the Green Lake TTC after 1/2006.
    • Formerly coach of the GLTTC afternoon class every Sunday between 10/2004 and 1/2008.
    • Later, coached the GLTTC junior and later all ages drop-in program every Saturday from 5:15 to 6:45pm, 2009 - 2018.
    • Presently Tom is recovering from an injury and may be back coaching in 2020.
    • Among Seattle area TT coaches, Tom is known as a great communicator. Students under USATT 1500 mainly benefited from his coaching.
    • Private lessons: Not available.
    • Contact: 206-858-2633(cell,text)

  • Free Advice
    • Many higher level players are happy to give pointers to lower level players that want to get better.
    • You just have to ask.
    • We're a community; so DO ask for advice or a bit of time to diagnose your game or correct your stroke mechanics or even to hit the ball with you
    • Just be nice
      • Ask if now is a good time, be gracious if it's not
      • Don't make them chase the ball a lot
      • Focus on consistency instead of power or spin
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Modified: November 26, 2018