If you get a chance, check out the video clip at www.tabletennisandmore.com/hilottc.htm. It will make you smile.

In the video, Clyde Young is standing in the back of the gym talking story. It says "Clyde" on the video, so you know that's him. Young learned to play table tennis the hard way: on a piece of plywood held up by two carpenter horses under his uncle's mango tree. Plus, it was windy.

These days, the conditions still aren't ideal, but at least they're indoors. The Hilo Table Tennis association has moved from place to place, looking for a permanent home. They were in the old Kress building for a while and had a relationship with the charter school there, but the school needed the space for more classrooms so the pingpong tables had to go. They moved down the street to the Hilo Armory gym, but because that venue was busy with basketball and volleyball, the tables could only come out one day a week.

Recently, the members have been holding practice sessions at the Army National Guard gym in Hilo. Now they need to recruit more players. Some days, there are more tables than teams, and there are only seven tables.

"Every so often we get visitors from the Mainland, as we're listed with the USATT," Young said.

USA Table Tennis is the national governing body of the sport.

In the video clip, you see a serious but congenial group. Everyone is welcome, and no one is afraid of playing an absolute beginner. No one is afraid of being an absolute beginner. Much of the exercise comes from shagging errant balls.

Young played mango-tree table tennis for fun as a kid, but was serious about full-contact karate (also called mixed martial arts).

As he got older, he wanted to find something a bit less punishing, something he could do for years to come. "When I started playing seriously in 1991, I was impressed how the older guys could kick butt," he said. "I knew then that I could play this sport for a long time — as long as I could move."

Young says martial arts and table tennis are actually similar in some key aspects. "It's a one-on-one battle using tactics and skills. Both require good footwork."

The first USATT-sanctioned tournament in Hawai'i was held on the Big Island in April. Another USATT tournament is coming up next month. There are only a handful of certified table tennis coaches in Hawai'i, and two are on the Big Island. Young is one of them. The other is his friend.

To recruit more players, the association is offering a deal: First month free, students free, and after that, it's $1 per day. Coaching is available. For more information, contact Clyde Young at 808-443-6978 or clydey@hawaii.rr.com, or go to www.tabletennisandmore.com/hilottc.htm.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.