As summer enters full swing, the Fullerton Community Center (FCC) is hosting a multitude of activities for people of all ages to stay active and busy throughout the coming months. Located at 340 West Commonwealth Avenue, the center contains a variety of facilities that both residents and visitors can enjoy.

A popular recreation offered at FCC is table tennis, an exciting, low-risk activity with a more extensive history than one might realize. The initial idea of table tennis originated in England in the late 19th century. Several patents were filed and registered during this time for a tabletop version of lawn tennis (commonly referred to nowadays as just tennis), with the earliest surviving model coming from merchant and inventor David Foster in 1890. Just as its grassy counterpart had done in the 1880s, table tennis rapidly rose in prominence in the early 20th century.

The first World Championships were held in London in 1926, and in the decades that followed, the game gained widespread popularity worldwide. Table tennis eventually made its way into the Olympic Games, first debuting in the 1960 Rome Paralympics before featuring in the Seoul Olympics 28 years later. However, above all else, the sport will be forever known for its role in easing 1970s Cold War tensions with China in what has come to be known as “ping pong diplomacy.”

Now, the historic pastime has found its way into the Fullerton Community Center’s gym for all to partake in, and with it comes many potential health benefits waiting to be claimed. For one, table tennis is heralded as one of the best sports out there for your brain by physicians and psychiatrists because of the different parts of the brain activated during play. It has been implemented as a form of treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in some areas due to the positive effects it has on neural stimulation.

Additionally, table tennis has been found to enhance hand-eye coordination and reflexes, thus leading to gains in one’s ability to concentrate and focus. Most importantly, the sport comes with very few risks to your physical being; in other words, the odds of you hurting yourself while playing are slim. FCC hosts table tennis in their gym every Monday from 11am-4pm and every Thursday from 11am-3pm.

If you are a Fullerton resident, you must pay $3 for a one-time visit, $50 for a 3-month pass, or $80 for a 6-month pass. If not, prices rise to $4, $60, and $90, respectively. The gym is only open to players aged 12 and up, and an adult must accompany minors at all times. Please note that the gym only has eight tables, and they are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

This summer, the Fullerton Community Center is not just a place to play; it’s a venue for community connection, health, and the joy of sport.