"Talent is cheaper than table salt," wrote Stephen King, adding, "What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." For those blessed with a talent for table tennis, the path to success depends not only on hard work but also skilled guidance and generous assistance along the way. In recognition of the accomplishments of the nation's top young players, the USATT has unveiled the inaugural Table Tennis All-American Awards. Based on the results of the upcoming US Youth National Ranking Tournament at the Westchester Table Tennis Center, this October 3-6, the top ten female and male junior and cadet players will each be recognized with a Table Tennis All-American Award. Those up-and-comers placing 11th-20th in their respective categories will receive honorable mentions, all to be awarded at the US Open this December in Fort Worth. While such national recognition will surely be a welcome wind in these talented youngsters' sails, there are even greater rewards for the crème de la crème who compete on the international stage. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has also announced a new initiative entitled "With The Future In Mind," offering scholarships to young, Olympic-caliber athletes who hail from "non-traditional Table Tennis markets." One such emerging market is the United States. Thus, national champions Lily Zhang and Kanak Jha have both been shortlisted for ITTF scholarships. With such support, Zhang, Jha and a whole new generation of players from around the world will be able to dedicate more time and resources to training for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. After all, talent is necessary but not sufficient. There is no substitute for hard work. Any competitor worth her salt knows that.

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