WORKING -- ATTILA MALEK

Story by Torus Tammer, photo by XXXX

HE IS

The teacher of power pong

NO PAIN ...

Attila Malek, 47, trains children with a routine that will help them

become good table tennis players.

“Power pong at Los Caballeros is [a] professional table tennis

training center,” Malek said. “It [table tennis] is an Olympic sport and

is demanding if you want to be good. Some of the kids who started with me

two years ago are now the best in Southern California.”

A CHAMPION

Malek made a living in Hungary as a professional table tennis player.

In 1978, he left Hungary for the United States, which has been his home

for more than 22 years. Table tennis is what he knew and it didn’t take

the young Hungarian long to prove how good he was.

In 1979, he won the U.S. mens’ singles championship. He is so

committed to the sport that recently, he was given the honor of becoming

U.S. chairman of grass roots development for table tennis.

NONSTOP

Malek teaches power pong six days a week at Los Caballeros in Fountain

Valley. He explains that power pong involves weight and endurance

training. Footwork practice is crucial and he does that by having his

students jump rope and move rapidly in a side to side motion. After that,

some kids practice with ball machines and others do drills.

“I like to coach in one big room where I monitor five courts at the

same time,” Malek said. “I just go through what they are supposed to do

and then explain to them when they make a mistake. I also play with them

because I can push them harder.”

ENCOURAGING

Malek says he has a goal to make table tennis an opportunity for kids

to have fun, learn discipline and hopefully provide a scholarship program

for them down the road.

For now, he loves to teach and says his favorite part of teaching is

competing against his students.

“I love to give them a 10-point handicap and if they can get five

points, I give them $5 and 10 points I give $10,” Malek said. “If they

beat me, they get $100. So far, I have given a lot of kids five dollar

bills but not yet the hundreds. But you know, I love giving the money

away.”