Father passes on passion for table tennis to son, who's competing in U.S. Open Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 11:30 AM
http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/father_passes_on_passion_for_t.html
 Steve Kaminski | The Grand Rapids Press Joel Hawksley | The Grand Rapids PressAustin Preiss, left, and his father, Scott, are shown Tuesday at the U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships. GRAND RAPIDS -- Scott Preiss held up three orange Ping Pong balls in one hand, then served in rapid-fire succession at his son across the table.
Austin Preiss, 15, instinctively returned each shot back at his father, who then smacked the balls right back over the net. The unusual three-balls-at-a-time volley continued for several seconds until one of Austin's shots got trapped in the net.
On Wednesday, DeVos Place opened its doors to table tennis players from around the world for the U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships. Players registered, then grabbed any one of the 89 open tables for practice.
Austin Preiss, of Colorado Springs, Colo., appeared all warmed up by the time he completed practice with his father.
Actually, Austin has been ready since age 3.
"I was a coach at the Olympic Training Center for 10 years, so he has seen this sport professionally since he was born," said Scott Preiss, 53. "He has been traveling the world with me since he was 8 years old. "Austin started playing when he was 3. I would put him on top of the Ping Pong table and I would have one of those robots hit the ball right at him. Every time he hit the ball, I went into a victory dance."
Scott Preiss estimated he has performed roughly 2,700 exhibitions around the world since the mid-1970s, and his son has joined him in about 200 of them. They have performed for U.S. military in England, Germany, Japan and Korea.
Their play has earned national attention, too. Scott has performed on "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee," while Austin was 10 when he was invited to "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to give the host some tips.
/* */ But Austin will be all business in Grand Rapids. He plans to compete in a number of events, including the men's singles division. He also recently played at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Sweden.
Scott Preiss will coach his son and help spread the word about the sport he has been passionate about since the early 1970s.
"I grew up in Long Island, New York, and I was at a shopping mall and the U.S. champion at the time, George Braithwaite, was doing an exhibition," he said. "I raised my hand and he called on me out of 100 kids. Ever since, I have been so amazed at the speed. I have never left the sport."
Play began Tuesday for junior classes and the novice team divisions. More than 700 players are scheduled to compete in the tournament, which will run through Saturday's championship rounds.
"That's the cool thing about the U.S. Open through the USATT (USA Table Tennis)," said West Michigan Sports Commission director Mike Guswiler, who helped Grand Rapids land the tournament that dates to 1931.
"It's international competition. There are 22 different countries represented. I think it says a lot for our local organizing committee, it says a lot for Grand Rapids.
"We went out to Las Vegas to talk to the board about Grand Rapids, and to see it come to fruition today and see the 89 tables set up, it's very exciting. It's thrilling. It's going to be a fun event."
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Newgy Robo-Pong Table Tennis Robots
