They travel from across the metro and even from as far away as Columbia every Sunday afternoon.
Players of all ages and backgrounds fill the rows of tables lined across the floor of the Overland Park Racquet Club with paddles in hand. High school students play against retirees, women play against men and novices play against seasoned veterans.
Many have come to learn from one of the best—Bill Guilfoil. Even after more than 73 years of playing table tennis, Guilfoil is still the one to beat.
“He’s a good guy, and he knows his stuff,” says Joe Craig, a junior at Shawnee Mission East High School and a regular Sunday player.
For Guilfoil, the sport is more than just a hobby—it’s been a passion that fueled a successful career and continues to drive a thriving coaching business. He’s played at both the national and world levels competing against some of the best, and he’s even played exhibition tournaments with the Army during World War II.
“A lot of cities I’ve been in, I would have never been in without table tennis,” he says.
As an accomplished tennis player as well, Guilfoil played in celebrity tournaments with Charlton Heston and Rob Reiner and played against tennis great Rod Laver.
The 86-year-old has spent most of his life trying to promote the sport of table tennis, commonly known as ping-pong, and continues to coach at businesses, homes and at the club.
His passion began as a young child and has continued to grow throughout his life. Both parents were avid table tennis players, and Guilfoil says he picked up the sport at age 13.
It’s a sport, he says, that can be played by all types of people.
“You can play it at an ancient age and can play it well,” Guilfoil says. “It doesn’t require a lot of money or a lot of equipment, but it does require speed, both mentally and physically. It’s one of the fastest sports because you have to think quickly.”
Guilfoil was always drawn to the excitement that surrounded the sport. As a young man, he went to New York to play in a week-long tournament and ended up staying for three months, playing table tennis as often as possible.
He even remembers another trip to Chicago where players were so invested in the games that the club owner set up cots throughout the center so people could play through the night.
“People were that intense,” Guilfoil says.
Now Guilfoil is committed to pass that passion and intensity on to a new generation of players. As a coach, he’s played in fire stations, local businesses and area homes in hopes of teaching what he’s learned about the sport to others.
“It’s always good because you’ll always be doing something for someone else,” he says. “You can meet all kinds of people.”
Bridget Fitzwater, one of Guilfoil’s four daughters, says her father has ping-pong balls strewn about his car and is always ready for a game.
“He always wears tennis shorts because he says you never know when you’ll be able to pick up a game,” she says.
Guilfoil says he tries to stay current on the latest teaching trends by reading information on the Internet and staying active in the sport.
In recent years, says Guilfoil, table tennis has gained momentum. In 1988, it became an official Olympic sport, and in 2008, the first doubles table tennis competition was held during the Beijing Olympics—again increasing notoriety for the sport.
“It just grew like mad,” Guilfoil says.
The international attention has translated into a growing demand for opportunities at the local level, as well. Through the Overland Park Raquet Club, Guilfoil has helped organize table tennis tournaments for Corporate Challenge, a popular annual event that pits companies against one another in a series of events and sports.
The club has also seen a surge in its Sunday players, and Guilfoil says more area high schools are creating teams of their own.
Ultimately, Guilfoil, who doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon, says he’s happy the sport he’s devoted his life to is thriving.
And as the sport continues to garner more interest and attract more players, he’s more than happy to share the stories of his career and offer friendly advice about how to improve a player’s game.
“The strategy of winning is to always have a passion for the sport,” Guilfoil says.