It is no secret that certain sports take a back seat in comparison to others. Table tennis, or ping pong, is widely viewed as a hobby — but to some it is just as much a sport as football or basketball.

For the Georgia Southern Tennis Table Association (GSTTA), popularity is not expected. Fortunately, this does not stop its members from competing at a high level.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday you can find the GSTTA in the RAC practicing for its weekly tournaments.

These tournaments allow the club to compete with each other to receive a spot on the traveling team. The top eight players compete on the Varsity A & B team. These teams have recently traveled to Atlanta and North Carolina to sharpen their skills before heading to nationals.

The Varsity teams just traveled to compete for a chance to play in the national championships. The team won the gold and bronze medal on the men’s side and the gold medal for the women’s side.

Their hard work has given these players a chance to represent GSU with a bid to the upcoming National Championships. The 2014 Collegiate Table Tennis Championships will be held at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University the last week of May.

Gold winner, Will Huang, demolished his opponents at the regional championship. Michael Wiggins, the faculty adviser for GSTTA, speaks very highly of Huang’s ability to dominate at the Collegiate Table Tennis Championships. After becoming a junior champion in China, Wiggins says Huang has the potential to turn pro.

In total, Georgia Southern could have five members competing in the National Championships. Will Huang, Brad Bernard and Philene Bogehloz all have a definite spot in the championships while two others are waiting to hopefully receive a wild card.

Hopes are high for Georgia Southern after taking the top two spots out of 27 in the regional championship. The success of GSTTA is a nice reminder that people still enjoy sports simply for the love of the game.