What an Awesome Sport We Are: Exploring the Joy of Activity

PingPongParkinson impressively shows what table tennis can achieve – for people with Parkinson’s, for clubs and for our sport as a whole. Doris Simon, former national player and proven expert in health and preventative sports, speaks in the BTTV talk about the special effect of table tennis on Parkinson’s, emotional experiences from practice and the opportunities for clubs. The focus is also on the PingPongParkinson training May 16th and 17th in Königsbrunn (already fully booked!)where the trainers provide the necessary knowledge and security for this special offer.

Doris, you have been involved in organized sport for many years, have a strong connection to table tennis and are an established player, especially in health and prevention sports. Before we get into the content: What does your sporting and professional path actually look like?
Doris Simon-Keller: I originally come from competitive sports. I was involved in table tennis at a very early age, in the school national team at the age of eleven, and later a Bundesliga player. Table tennis was the center of my life for a long time. At the same time, I trained as a banking specialist and initially worked in business. After the birth of my children, my path increasingly developed towards sport – first as a trainer, later also through coaching training and various qualifications in the area of club and organizational development.

A decisive turning point was a serious injury: When I was in my early 30s, I was diagnosed with three herniated discs in my cervical spine. From one day to the next, competitive sports were no longer possible. That was extremely hard emotionally because table tennis had shaped my life. At the same time, that was also the moment when I began to think intensively about health, prevention, training and nutrition – initially for myself, and later for others.

From competitive sports to health sports

Many former competitive athletes still remain closely connected to competitive sports. You have clearly developed towards health sports.
Simon-Keller: That had a lot to do with my own story. Looking back, I know that my injuries weren’t just bad luck, but also had to do with incorrect loading and a lack of compensatory work. This made me want to protect young players from having similar experiences.

At the time, I was asked at the TTVN whether I would like to work as a speaker in trainer training. Initially with the topics of nutrition and general fitness training, later increasingly in the area of prevention and health sports. Together with others – including current managing director Markus Söhngen – concepts were developed that combine strengthening, endurance, coordination and relaxation. So I grew into this area step by step.

Today I work nationwide for various state sports associations in club management and qualification formats. My passion is health sports – and in particular the question of how table tennis can create real added value for people and clubs.

PingPongParkinson – table tennis as a therapy component with a special effect

A central theme of your current work is PingPongParkinson. You are offering further training in Bavaria in May, which was booked up very quickly. Why is this topic so important to you – and to table tennis as a whole?
Simon-Keller: For me, PingPongParkinson is one of the most impressive examples of the impact table tennis can have. We’re not talking about a nice additional idea here, but about a sport that has been proven to have a positive effect on the symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease. This is extraordinary.

Parkinson’s is characterized by lack of exercise, slowing down, balance problems and cognitive limitations. Table tennis works precisely on these points: rapid stimulus processing, hand-eye coordination, rhythm, movement, thinking – all at the same time. This combination can hardly be found in any other sport. Professor Dr. Ulrich Wöllner, director of a special neurodegenerative clinic in Bonn, said: “I believe that table tennis as a sport will make a huge difference in the treatment of the symptoms of our Parkinson’s patients.” When you hear something like that from a medical perspective, you get goosebumps – and at the same time a great responsibility.

Why PingPongParkinson is so valuable for those affected

What does this mean specifically for the participants?
Simon-Keller: For many, PingPongParkinson is a turning point. The disease progresses, drugs like L-dopa have been standard for decades, and real breakthroughs are rare. Table tennis cannot cure the progression of the disease, but it can slow it down – and above all, restore quality of life.

What do those affected experience during training?
Simon-Keller: Many of those affected experience moments during training when suddenly something works again: more fluid movements, more stability, more self-confidence. The change of ball, the clicking sound of the ball, the rhythm – all of this creates stimuli in the brain that can make movement easier again.

A very crucial aspect is the so-called dual-task training: thinking and moving at the same time. This is extremely challenging for people with Parkinson’s, but that’s exactly why it’s so effective. Table tennis offers a natural setting for this without feeling like therapy.

Content and focus of the PPP training

What do participants in the training learn – and why is this qualification so important?
Simon-Keller: Many trainers approach the topic with great respect – sometimes also with uncertainty. This is exactly where the training comes in. We not only provide exercises, but above all understanding: What happens in the body when Parkinson’s occurs? What restrictions are there? What do I have to pay attention to?

What else can participants expect?
Simon-Keller: The training lasts two days and combines theory and practice. We convey the basics of medical and sports science, talk about current research results and take a very specific approach to training design.

An important point is coordination training. Table tennis thrives on it – and this is enormously valuable, especially for people with Parkinson’s. There are also balance exercises, strengthening to prevent falls and many practical examples of how training can be organized safely.

Attitude is also particularly important to us: It’s not about performance or competition in the classic sense, but about “promoting and challenging”. Everyone brings different requirements. Table tennis offers the opportunity to work very individually.

At the same time, we also show how technical basics can be taught. Because PingPongParkinson thrives on participation – right up to tournaments and world championships. The sense of achievement plays a big role.

Community, partners and emotional impact

You emphasize the social aspect of PingPongParkinson. What role does the community play?
Simon-Keller: A very big one. Anyone who has ever been there will confirm: an incredible spirit arises in the groups. Many of those affected experience a certain degree of isolation due to the illness. In table tennis, they are part of a community and meet at eye level – often together with their partners.

We have also seen this in other projects, such as “Sport moves people with dementia”. When sick and non-sick people do sports together, roles break down. Suddenly it is no longer clear who “the sick person” is. This is incredibly emotionally valuable.

I helped set up a group on Lake Constance myself. There are sometimes couples playing together, one of whom is severely restricted. Training is only possible through the support of your partner. At the same time, space is created for exchange, relief and a new quality of life – for both sides.

Opportunities for clubs and the sport of table tennis

If you look at PingPongParkinson, but also your work in prevention and health sports as a whole, you can see how many target groups table tennis can reach. What makes this sport so special in your opinion?
Simon-Keller: When I think about all the target groups – PingPong Parkinson’s, prevention, children, seniors, recreational and competitive sports – then I sometimes really think: What an awesome sport we are.

Table tennis can accompany people throughout their lives. We have children who we encourage through exercise and coordination, adults who find a new sporting home in recreational sports, and seniors up to 90 plus who are still active at the table. We serve this topic of longevity – i.e. staying mobile, mentally fit and independent for as long as possible – like no other sport.

In addition, people with completely different levels of ability can play with each other. Across generations, as a couple, as a group. This is something that is extremely rare in sport – and this is exactly where our great strength lies.

What opportunities do such concepts offer for clubs?
Simon-Keller: Huge opportunities. Table tennis is much more than a competitive sport. Of course, competitive sport is important, but there are also many target groups that we can reach: children with a lack of exercise, recreational athletes, people over 50, people with chronic illnesses.

With concepts such as “FiTTer Kids”, “FiTTer 50 plus” or PingPongParkinson, clubs can create new offers, attract additional members and carry out socially relevant work. At the same time, there are also financial effects for the clubs.

Finally: What do you hope for the future of PingPongParkinson and the sport of table tennis as a whole?
Simon-Keller: I hope that we have the courage to think further about our sport. Table tennis has enormous health, social and emotional potential. If we use this, we can give people quality of life – and at the same time strengthen our clubs. For me it is always fulfilling to see when people realize: “Something is working again.” That’s exactly why this work is worth it.

Doris, thank you very much for the interview!