Lessons From Top spin USA's 1-week training camp

This past week, I went to Top Spin USA’s 1-week training camp. Overall, it was a great experience. I leveled up my game and learned some powerful lessons that went far beyond the table.

While I was there, a quote came to mind. Timo Boll, a table tennis champion, once said:

“Never equate a loser with failure.”

That quote stuck with me. At camp, I wasn’t the best. In fact, I lost a lot of matches. But that quote reminded me: just because I lost, didn’t mean I was a loser.

How to Deal with Being the Worst

Because I had been busy with other things, I hadn’t practiced much going into camp. That made me one of the lowest-rated players there, and that was a totally new feeling. In most areas of life, I’m usually somewhere in the middle or even near the top. At camp, I was at the bottom.

And that changed everything.

Being the “worst” forced me to listen more, observe more, and learn more. Instead of getting frustrated when others pointed things out, I used their comments as fuel to focus and improve.

I also noticed something unexpected: some of the top players didn’t take their training as seriously anymore. That’s when it hit me, when you're the best, it’s easy to get comfortable. But when you're the worst, you’re hungry.

So, I started pushing harder, not just in table tennis, but in every part of life. Whether I was the best or the worst, I decided I would give my full effort.

Sometimes, being the worst in the room is the best place to be, because that’s where the most growth happens.

The Power of Comebacks

When I was in third grade, I read a book called Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein. It’s still my favorite book. There’s one line from it that I’ll never forget:

“The game’s not over until it’s over.”

I saw this lesson play out at camp. There were many matches where I fell behind by a huge margin. It would’ve been easy to give up. But I remembered that line, and instead of quitting, I kept fighting.

Sometimes, I made a comeback. Other times, I still lost. But either way, I kept trying.

And that mindset? It’s carried over to everything, not just sports. Mistakes and setbacks don’t have to be the end. As long as you keep showing up and doing the work, you always have a chance.

Final Thought

So, if you’re ever feeling behind, in sports, school, or life, remember this:

Being at the bottom doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means you’re in the perfect place to rise.

And the game? It’s not over until it’s over.

I’d love to hear from you: Have you ever been the worst in the room? What did it teach you? Or is there a moment when you made a comeback, you’re proud of?

Hit reply and let me know!