Now Serving: Ping Pong

Students explain their daily routine of playing ping pong

Allison Apollo

Allison Apollo, Reporter

What’s your daily routine? What comes to mind? Brushing your teeth, combing your hair, getting dressed in the morning before school? Walking the dog or making dinner, perhaps? What about playing ping pong? 

In the morning before the bell rings at 7:15 a.m. and all three lunches, crowds of students circle the ping pong tables, alternating between each other.

“We play to five and then switch out,” freshman Charlie Hebden explained about the way the students run the tables during lunch. “We try to give everyone a turn before the bell rings.”

Liberty has three ping pong tables that have become a part of so many lives, especially the new freshmen that have entered Liberty. But how did these tables come to Liberty in the first place? 

“[Dr.] Nelson came to me one day around this time [February/March] last year. He asked me out of the blue if we should add ping pong tables to the cafeteria, I was kind of shocked,” Coach Wheeler said. “He asked me one more time and then he went out and bought three ping pong tables with his own money.” 

Freshman Jayce Haun says he plays ping pong because it’s just really enjoyable.

“It’s become a part of my daily routine and without it, it feels weird,” Haun said. 

These tables bring all students together from freshmen to seniors. It doesn’t matter what grade you’re in, if you’re short or tall, if you can play ping pong decently, you have a spot at those tables. 

It creates a place to get out of their extra energy before going back to class and it gives students something to do if they finish their lunch early.

“It keeps you active,” Hebden said.