Site Products
AJ Carney

Ask The Experts: AJ Carney, No. 402

Posted on

Butterfly Table Tennis Question and Answer

Question:

Hi Butterfly,

I am beginner-intermediate level table tennis player and would like to grow in this sport. I am writing to you to give me suggestion to grow fast on this sport. Currently i live in clifton park new york where we don’t have any professional table tennis club. As such i don’t have any mentor to help me improve my skills. In this circumstances – Can Butterfly help me/guide me to engage with very good coach nearby my area so that i can take lesson? – I am looking for a define coaching plan so that i can prepare myself, improve my weak point and able to participate big tournaments – Also i would like to know what level of game i need to play so that butterfly will sponsor me for the tournament in future – Currently i am using STIGA PRO CARBON as my blade and rubber. Could you please guide what type of blade and rubber should i use next? Some of my playing skill are given below: (If i can get control like stiga pro carbon then it works, Spin i need 100% and speed like stiga pro carbon also works) Forehand loop and forehand smash: comfortable would like to develop Ma Long forehand. Backhand : Backhand smash, Back hand topsin is good. Backhand not strong as forehand but developing. Service: Side spin pendulum serve + Hook topspin and backspin serve.

Please recommend me blade and rubber based on my information.

Answer: 

AJ Carney

Your Ask the Experts question was answered by AJ Carney. He is a Table Tennis Manager and Coach at Triangle Badminton & Table Tennis in Morrisville, NC. Coach Carney’s response is as follows:

Hi MD Masoom,  
The two nearest clubs are: Genesee Valley TTC – Rochester NY (3 and ½ hours from you) & Westchester TTC (2 and ½ hours). Both of these clubs would have coaching options/availability for you. You may be able to have a coach at one of the above clubs mentioned create a coaching plan for yourself but I am not sure what the fee would be for them to do that.
Obtaining a player sponsorship is difficult these days. I would focus on improving your game day by day. Typically only juniors that are exceptional and ranked Top 5 US in there age categories are the ones considered for potential sponsorship.
I would recommend Viscaria blade, Dignics 09C and Dignics 05. This setup would be a great balance between feeling/control, speed, and spin.    
Best of luck!  
Coach AJ
Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

Latest News

Center of Gravity in Your Stomach

February 16, 2026
Robot serves short backspin to Forehand/middle, Logan Backhand swipe to Forehand, robot plays topspin to long Forehand and… Read More

Positioning Part 3 of 4: In the Rally

February 16, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Many players do not really… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Princeton Pong

February 15, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) Princeton Pong's 10,000 square foot table tennis facility is in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.  They… Read More

Jancarik – Winning in Chennai at Age 39

February 15, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) WTT's Star Contender series events are a bridge between lower level Contender level… Read More

Dusseldorf and Saarbrucken Battle in TTBL

February 15, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo TTBL) When the two teams met in December, Saarbrucken beat Borussia Dusseldorf 3-2 on… Read More

Fan Loses Twice As Saarbrucken Advances

February 14, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo ETTU) If you were drafting an all-star squad from the best players in the… Read More

How to Loop Stronger!

February 11, 2026
Robot serves short backspin to Forehand/middle, Logan Backhand swipe to Backhand, robot plays topspin to long Backhand, Logan… Read More

BTY ASM-S8 – The Right First Step in Table Tennis

February 10, 2026
(by Edgardo Vázquez, Puerto Rico National Coach / Butterfly America Sponsored Coach) When someone starts playing table tennis,… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.