From fun to therapy: Ping pong’s powerful impact in Colorado Springs

Many people have picked up a ping pong paddle at some point, thinking the game looks easy — until the ball starts flying back faster than expected.

But in Colorado Springs, table tennis has become much more than just a casual pastime. For hundreds of people, it’s a source of fitness, friendship, and even healing.

Every Sunday afternoon, the Pikes Peak Ping Pong Club meets in the gym at Colorado Springs School where it comes alive with the sound of bouncing balls, paddles striking plastic, and laughter echoing across the room. Players of all ages line the tables, battling for points and enjoying the competition.

At the center of it all is Scott Preiss, a USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame member who organizes and facilitates the weekly sessions.

“I just wanted people to keep moving and stay healthy,” Preiss said. “And what better way to do that than playing ping pong?”

Preiss started the program five years ago with just 17 participants showing up that first week. Since then, it has grown dramatically. This year alone, between 300 and 400 people have taken part.

Some participants are there for the workout. Others for the social interaction. But for Kristin Woesthoff, these sessions have become deeply healing.

Woesthoff was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and says the sport has helped slow the progression of her symptoms.

“It’s slowed my progression for sure,” Woesthoff said. “I don’t think I’ve progressed in the last five years.”

Studies suggest that combining aerobic exercise with cognitive and motor challenges can help reduce symptoms of neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. Table tennis checks all those boxes, requiring quick reactions, coordination, balance, and mental focus.

“Ping pong does all that,” Woesthoff said. “It challenges everything you have to fight to maintain.”

Woesthoff isn’t the only one experiencing life-changing benefits. Some members who attend the sessions manage their post-traumatic stress disorder through playing, offering an outlet to focus their minds and work through suppressed memories. For others, it’s simply a way to stay active, meet people, and have fun, no matter their age or skill level.

Preiss says that sense of connection is what makes the program special.

“Overall, people are just happy to come in, play, and escape the outside world,” he said.

That community feel is obvious once the games wrap up.

“It’s become a table tennis family,” Preiss said. “In about 20 minutes, you’ll see people hugging, laughing, and just having a great time.”

The smiles were hard to miss and impossible not to join.

I decided to give it a try myself. Against the practice robot, I looked pretty sharp. But when I stepped up against a seasoned player like Scott’s son, Austin, the game quickly reminded me how humbling it can be.

Still, that’s part of the draw.

“It’s just fun when you see yourself improve and know you’re playing well,” Woesthoff said.

Ping pong may be a sport that humbles, but in this gym, it’s also one that heals, bringing people together, improving lives, and proving that sometimes, the smallest ball can make the biggest difference.

Below are a list of places to play table tennis throughout Colorado Springs:

• Pikes Peak Table Tennis Club (Tuesday 6:30-9:30 p.m. UCCS Downtown, 102 S. Tejon, Suite 105)
• Pikes Peak Ping Pong Club (Sunday 12-4 p.m. Colorado Springs School, 21 Broadmoor Ave)
• Briargate YMCA (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1-4 p.m. 4025 Family Pl)
• Colorado Springs Senior Center (Tuesday, Friday 1:30-4:30 p.m. 1514 North Hancock)
• Colorado Springs NeuroPong (Tuesday, Thursday 1-3 p.m. 207 North Nevada)