Did you know that the first version of ping-pong was played on a dinner table, with books serving as the net? Years later, J. Jaques & Son Ltd began selling it under the name "Ping-Pong” which means moving back and forth rapidly from one place to another.
As we rapidly move at CodeChem, we encourage engaging in extracurricular activities that add some fun to our routines. In that matter, for the second year in a row, ping-pong has generated a surprising interest among our team members.
Join us in this blog post as we pull back the curtain, inviting you to step "behind the scenes" and enjoy the best moments of our latest ping-pong tournament.
The Very Beginning
It all started a few years ago when everyone was working. Back then, you could often hear the sound of a bouncing ball echoing through the hallways, and even today, we can still hear it (it's pretty funny, actually). That was the first sign that we had a group of people who absolutely loved playing ping-pong.
As always, we had to do something about it, and that’s how the idea of our first CC tournament came. Our first official ping-pong tournament happened in 2022 in Hazard, an excellent pool billiard club in Skopje, but this year, the tournament occurred in Base42, which is way more private and a perfect fit for this event.
New Faces, New Places
We are constantly growing and learning from each other. While our main focus is software engineering, we always remember about knowledge-sharing, which often comes in different segments, including our hobbies. During 2023, many new faces joined CC, and thus, we welcomed fresh faces to our ping-pong crew, by whom our squad has significantly grown. That’s why we put an accent on our fun zone in CC, where one of the key elements is our ping-pong area.
Suppose you ask one of the players why they love playing ping-pong so much. In that case, you’ll probably get a variety of answers like it makes them feel relaxed, they measure their strength, they cannot wait to inspire other players, or compete with the most successful ones, but you’ll get one mutual answer for sure: ping-pong connects people, makes them laugh, makes them focus, and they all can compete, bond and have fun while cheering.
Whether you are a coach, a player, a colleague who came to watch the tournament, or even someone who came just for the beer and snacks, you all have the spirit of sportsmanship.
The Serve-ivors and Winners
Everyone who participated in the tournament should be proud of themselves, even if they didn’t make it to the next match. We had 16 participants in total, and throughout the matches, we could all feel the excitement and competitiveness because of the unexpected and tight results. There were moments when we didn’t know what would happen till the very last second.
Although ping-pong appears to be a simple game, in reality, it requires great skill and focus, evident from the concentration and perspiration visible on the players' faces as they all strive for victory. We always value courage, honesty, fairness, and competitiveness at CC; according to that, the tournament ended with one trophy and three certificates.
Our colleagues Aleksandar Mirchovski and Kosta Halicea won third and second place, respectively. At the same time, Mino Todorov triumphed in the tournament and will keep the trophy of 1st place till our next CC ping-pong tournament. Everyone else who participated in the tournament was excellent, especially Aleksandra Gjurova, who won 4th place.
Judges and Organization
The tournament wouldn’t have gone smoothly without our professional judges, who kept the atmosphere funny but professional at the same time, keeping the scores and results up-to-date all the time and monitoring each step of the tournament. It was so good, as if Mills Bee Lane was speaking.
Besides the judges, there was an excellent organization from Pale who delivered the certificates, food, snacks, and everything equipped for the tournament in Base42. You must love Base42, an awesome space for awesome people (ping-pong intended), but without Pale nothing would have been possible, so big thanks to her.
Practice What You Preach
Our second official ping-pong tournament ended, but we won’t stop playing, practicing, and having fun. There’s no victory without training, getting new experiences, and adding a unique playing style to beat your opponent.
Our ping-pong tournament is just another way to get to know your colleagues well and bond over something you both have a passion for, and we cannot wait till our next one.
Winner’s Statement
Interviewer: What does playing ping-pong mean to you, and how do you feel after winning 1st place?
Mino: It's a fun way to take a break and use some trash talk 😃. I really enjoy it, especially the long rallies ending with a full-power smash. And the sound of the ball is relaxing. Given my competitive nature and love for winning, it was satisfying and felt great 😊.
Stay tuned until the next serve and victory as CodeChem's ping-pong journey continues! 🏓🎉