Far Eastern University

Institute of Education
Undergraduate Studies

Skill Evaluation of FEU’s Table Tennis Athletes

Lorenzo, Mark Leo Paul; Gabutin, Reigean Mae; Manguera, Lynd Elizabeth; Samsaman,
Jhenren; Mallo, Jet Thrix; Jaro, Joshua

Far Eastern University - Institute of Education, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines

KEY WORDS: Skill Test, Performance, Table Tennis

INTRODUCTION

Table Tennis was discovered in the 19th Century in England, it was popular in Asia and
Europe and was introduced as a sport in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games (Sindik, 2013; Zhang,
2012). Table Tennis is one of the sports that the Far Eastern University have and one of the 15
sports in the UAAP or the University Athletic Association of the Philippines which is one of
the major leagues that the Far Eastern University competes in. In this season 81 of the UAAP,
the womens Table Tennis team finishes 4th place while the mens Table Tennis team bagged the
3rd place in the said league. In playing table table tennis, the fundamental skills that are used
are Service,Push, Counter Attack and Drive, with this the researchers assessed Far Eastern
University Table Tennis Athletes using the Skill test constructed by Dr. Pushpendra
Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta which they used in their study entitled Construction of Norms
for Skill Test Table Tennis Players in 2010. The skill test that was adapted by the researchers
includes Alternative Push Test, Target Service Test, Alternate Counter Test, and Forehand
Drive on Target test with foot movement after playing Backhand Push. This skill tests
determines the skill level of the FEU’s Table Tennis Athletes, this skill tests that was
constructed by Dr. P.Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta measures the skill that is needed to play
Table Tennis. According to P.Purashwani, et.al (2010) “A Table Tennis can be played by
young and old person, that’s why, it is called as “LIFE TIME SPORT””.

This research study talks about the skill evaluation of FEU’s Table Tennis athletes, the
guide question that the researcher based on is; In what skill level does the athletes from Far
Eastern University have; what is the correlation of the of each skill test to each other based on
the performance of the Table Tennis athletes of FEU.

According to J.P Maxwell (2005) skills and techniques in the sport table tennis are one of
the complex techniques that is covering chains of movement and thoughts that are conducted
automatically, it needs a continuous physical exercise to help them improve their automation
process. The mental imagery proves that it has a significant effect on the skill of the players of
table tennis. This explains that the skill of the athletes or the players can relay on their training
which where they learn and practice their skill and the skill they need to improve on.
Table Tennis is a game which needed a rapid decision-making with a combination of
matching the type of strike and its quality to the characteristic of returning. (Vickers 2003).
Table Tennis needs a rapid decision making due to the phase of the game on how it plays,
which is fast phase game, with this kind of sport fast decision making and the quality of hits
are need at the same time, which is build or developed also as a skill of the player.
A player that can use both organ for his or her skills can lead to a better skill
performance ( Eslami & Ghorbanzadeh, 2015). It is requires in this kind of sport to use two or
more organs at the same time to have more accuracy of the hits that is made by the player,
with a continuous training it will have effect on the players to use both organs at the same
time.
The gap of this research study is that to identify the skill level of the FEU Table Tennis
Athletes. Playing this sport requires skills like body movements, hitting the ball, decision
making and etc. This shows the skill level of the said athletes based on the skill test that was
given by the researchers.
The purpose of this study is to identify the skill level of the FEU Table Tennis athletes
with the skill test that was constructed by Dr. Pushpendra Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta. This
can help the Table Tennis athletes of FEU to know their skill level base on the skill test that was
given to them and this might help them to know where to improve on that can result to a better
performance in their future competitions like UAAP.

METHODS

Participants
The participants of this are the Table Tennis athletes or players of the Far Eastern
University. The researchers asked five athletes in womens division and another five athletes in
mens division, total of ten athletes were assessed in this research.

Protocol
The researchers used the skill test that was adapted from the study Construction of
Norms for Table Tennis Players, the skill test that was used by the researchers was constructed
by Dr. P. Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta (see Apendices), the skill tests includes Alternate Push
Test, Target Service Test, Alternate Counter Test, and Forehand Drive on Target test with foot
movement after playing Backhand Push. At first, the researchers asked the participants to sign
the informed consent letter before they perform the skill test. The researchers asked the
participants to warm up for two minutes, after the warm up the participants did the skill tests,
they were given two trials and the best score of each participants will be recorded as the best
score for the said skill.
Alternate Push Test

Figure 1

Target Service Test

Figure 2

Alternate Counter Test

 Figure 3

Forehand Drive on Target test with foot movement after playing Backhand

Figure 4

Statistical Analysis
The researchers used the Percentile Rank for each category of the skill test. The percentile
rank shows the percentage of the score, lower or equal than it and also the Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient to see the relationship between the skill test to each other.

RESULTS
The researchers gathered data by means of the skill test that was constructed by Dr.
Pushpendra Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta (see in Appendix C). The data that was gathered by
the researchers was statistically analyzed using the Percentile Rank and Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient. The Percentile Rank will show the scores below or above the
given score and for the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient will show the
relationship between the each skill test to one another.

For the Percentile Rank, here are the results that was gathered by the researchers:

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
34 1 5 1 100% 20%
 24 1 4 2 80% 40%
16 1 3 3 60% 60%
14 1 2 4 40% 80%
12 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 1. Percentile Rank (Female) Alternate Push Test

The Table 1 shows that 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 16 in Alternate
Push Test and 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 16 in Alternate Push Test for
Female category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
18 2 5 2 100% 40%
17 1 3 3 60% 60%
13 1 2 4 40% 80%
12 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 2. Percentile Rank (Female) Alternate Counter Test

The Table 2 shows that 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 17 in Alternate
Counter Test and 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 17 in Alternate Counter
Test for Female category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
5 1 5 4 100% 80%
3 4 4 5 80% 100%
Table 3. Percentile Rank (Female) Target Service Test
The Table 3 shows that 80% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 3 Target
Service Test and 100% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 3 in Target Service Test
for Female category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
5 2 5 2 100% 40%
3 2 3 4 60% 80%
1 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 4. Percentile Rank (Female) Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after
Playing Backhand
 The Table 4 shows that 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 3 Forehand
Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test and 80% of the table
tennis athletes of FEU scores above 3 in Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test for Female category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
27 1 5 1 100% 20%
23 1 4 2 80% 40%
21 1 3 3 60% 60%
18 1 2 4 40% 80%
15 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 5. Percentile Rank (Male) Alternate Counter Test

The Table 5 shows that 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 21 Alternate
Counter Test and 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 21 in Alternate Counter
Test for Male category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
35 1 5 1 100% 20%
33 1 4 2 80% 40%
29 1 3 3 60% 60%
28 1 2 4 40% 80%
23 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 6. Percentile Rank (Male) Alternate Push Test
The Table 6 shows that 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 29 Alternate
Push Test and 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 29 in Alternate Push Test for
Male category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
5 3 5 3 100% 60%
3 2 2 5 40% 100%
Table 7. Percentile Rank (Male) Target Service Test
 The Table 7 shows that 40% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 3 Target
Service Test and 100% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores above 3 in Target Service Test
for Male category.

X F CF CF CF% CF%
< > < >
5 3 5 3 100% 60%
3 1 2 4 40% 80%
1 1 1 5 20% 100%
Table 8. Percentile Rank (Male) Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after
Playing Backhand

The Table 8 shows that 40% of the table tennis athletes of FEU scores below 3 Forehand
Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test and 80% of the table
tennis athletes of FEU scores above 3 in Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test for Male category.

For the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient in both Male and Female
category, here are the results that was gathered by the researchers upon getting the relationships
of each skill test to other skill tests.

Alternate Alternate
Push Test Counter
Test
33 21
35 23
29 18
23 27
28 15

Table 9. (Male) Alternate Push Test and Alternate Counter Test

The Table 9 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Alternate Counter Test, using the Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= -0.20 and with a critical value
of 0.854. Base on the results -0.20<0.854, there is a weak negative relationship between Alternate
Push Test and Alternate Counter Test.

Alternate Target
Push Test Service
Test
33 3
35 3
 29 5
23 5
28 5
Table 10. (Male) Alternate Push Test and Target Service Test

The Table 10 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Target Service Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment
Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= -0.86 and with a critical value of 0.854.
Base on the results -0.86<0.854, there is a very strong negative relationship between Alternate
Push Test and Target Service Test.

Forehand Drive
on Target Test
Alternate Push with Foot
Test Movement after
Playing Backhand
33 5
35 1
29 5
23 3
28 5
Table 11. (Male) Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot
Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 11 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= -0.25 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results -
0.25<0.854, there is a weak negative relationship between Alternate Push Test and Forehand
Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

Target Alternate
Service Counter
Test Test
3 21
3 23
5 18
5 27
5 15
Table 12. (Male) Target Service Test and Alternate Counter Test
 The Table 12 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Target Service Test and Alternate Counter Test, using the Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= -0.24 and with a critical value
of 0.854. Base on the results -0.24<0.854, there is a weak negative relationship between Target
Service Test and Alternate Counter Test.

Forehand Drive
on Target Test
Target Service with Foot
Test Movement
after Playing
Backhand
3 5
3 1
5 5
5 3
5 5
Table 13. (Male) Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot
Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 13 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= -0.41 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results -
0.41<0.854, there is a moderate negative relationship between Target Service Test and Forehand
Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

Forehand
Drive on
Target Test
Alternate with Foot
Counter Test Movement
after Playing
Backhand
21 5
23 1
 18 5
27 3
15 5
Table 14. (Male) Alternate Counter Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot
Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 14 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Counter Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= -0.64 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results -
0.64<0.854, there is a strong negative relationship between Alternate Counter Test and Forehand
Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

Alternate Alternate
Push Test Counter
Test
16 18
14 13
12 18
34 12
24 17

Table 15. (Female) Alternate Push Test and Alternate Counter Test

The Table 15 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Alternate Counter Test, using the Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= -0.56 and with a critical value
of 0.854. Base on the results -0.56<0.854, there is a moderate negative relationship between
Alternate Push Test and Alternate Counter Test.

Alternate Target
Push Test Service
Test
16 3
14 3
12 3
34 5
24 3
Table 16. (Female) Alternate Push Test and Target Service Test

The Table 16 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Target Service Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment
Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= 0.86 and with a critical value of 0.854.
Base on the results 0.86>0.854, there is a very strong positive relationship between Alternate
Push Test and Target Service Test.

Forehand Drive
on Target Test
Alternate Push with Foot
Test Movement after
Playing Backhand
16 5
14 1
12 3
34 5
24 3
Table 17. (Female) Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot
Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 17 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= 0.53 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results 0.53<0.854,
there is a moderate positive relationship between Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive on
Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

Target Alternate
Service Counter
Test Test
3 18
3 13
3 18
5 12
3 17
Table 18. (Female) Target Service Test and Alternate Counter Test
 The Table 18 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Target Service Test and Alternate Counter Test, using the Pearson Product-
Moment Correlation Coefficient the researchers came up with r= -0.70 and with a critical value
of 0.854. Base on the results -0.70<0.854, there is a strong negative relationship between Target
Service Test and Alternate Counter Test.

Forehand Drive
on Target Test
Target Service with Foot
Test Movement
after Playing
Backhand
3 5
3 1
3 3
5 5
3 3
Table 19. (Female) Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot
Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 19 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= 0.53 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results 0.53<0.854,
there is a moderate positive relationship between Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on
Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

Forehand
Drive on
Target Test
Alternate with Foot
Counter Test Movement
after Playing
Backhand
18 3
13 1
 18 3
12 5
17 3
Table 20. (Female) Alternate Counter Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with
Foot Movement after Playing Backhand

The Table 20 shows results of the skill test that was conducted by the researchers
specifically the Alternate Counter Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand Test, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient the
researchers came up with r= -0.12 and with a critical value of 0.854. Base on the results -
0.12<0.854, there is a very weak negative relationship between Alternate Counter Test and
Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand Test.

DISCUSSION

Percentile Rank and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used by the
researchers to analyze the data that was gathered through the skill test that was constructed by
Dr. Pushpendra Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta and performed by the participants of this study
which is the Table Tennis Athletes of FEU. Based on the results that was gathered by the
researchers in the percentile rank for the alternate push test and alternate counter test, the table
tennis athletes for both male and female category, 60% of the athletes scores above and below
the average score. In the target service test 80% of the female table tennis athletes scores below
the average score and 40% for the male category and 100% of both male and female category
score above the average score. Lastly for the Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement
after Playing Backhand test 60% of the female athletes and 40% for the male athletes scores
below the average score and 80% for both male and female scores above the average score. With
the percentile rank, we can see that more than 60% of the table tennis athletes of FEU who
participated in this study shows a high percentage in each skill test that was conducted by the
researchers.
For the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, this show the relationship
between each skill test to other skill test in both category (male and female). For the Alternate
Push Test and Alternate Counter Test it shows a weak negative relationship for male category
and moderate negative relationship for the female category. For Alternate Push Test and Target
Service Test shows a very strong negative relationship for male category and a very strong
positive relationship for the female category. For the Alternate Push Test and Forehand Drive
on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand shows a weak negative relationship
for male category and moderate positive relationship for the female category. For the Target
Service Test and Alternate Counter Test shows weak negative relationship and a strong negative
relationship for the female category. For the Target Service Test and Forehand Drive on Target
Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand shows a moderate negative relationship and
a moderate positive relationship for the female category and lastly for the Alternate Counter
Test and Forehand Drive on Target Test with Foot Movement after Playing Backhand shows a
strong negative relationship and a very weak negative relationship for the female category. With
the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient it shows the relationship of each test and
for male category it shows a negative relationship between all the skill test and half of the skill
test shows a positive relationship and half of it shows negative relationship for the female
category.

The researchers recommend this skill test that was constructed by Dr. Pushpendra
Purashwani and Dr. A.K. Datta used as a test for table tennis athletes and coaches. For further
researches, you can also use this instrument that can be helpful for your research that is related
in the skills of a table tennis athletes. We, the researchers also suggest that you can also use this
skill test that we adapt in comparing or correlate this skill test to other skill tests that you can
find for an improve skill test that we can use since we do not have a standard skill test to measure
the skills of the table tennis athletes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researchers would like to give thanks to our Professor Mr. Jeremy Pedragosa for
guiding us to finish this research paper. To our family that supports us. Also to the our
respondents, we would like to thank you for your cooperation and most specially for you time,
without you we cannot finish this research paper. We also want to thank God for giving us
strength to finish this research and lastly the whole research team for the effort that we exert to
finish this research paper.

REFERENCES

Bechar, I., & Grosu, E. (2016). Table Tennis Motor Components and Analysis of Successful Trials
Testing These Skills. Retrieved November 8, 2018, from
https://www.futureacademy.org.uk/files/images/upload/ERD2016FA029F.pdf

Eslami, A., & Ghorbanzadeh, B. (2015). The Effect of Mental Imagery with Positive Thinking on
Bilateral Transmission of Forehand and Backhand Skills in Table Tennis Players. Retrieved November
8, 2018, from https://www.textroad.com/pdf/JAEBS/J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci., 5(9)196-200, 2015.pdf

Purashwani, P., Datta, A., & Purashwani, M. (2010). Construction of Norms for Skill Test Table Tennis
Players. Retrieved November 8, 2018.

Raab, M., R.S. Masters, and J.P. Maxwell, "Improving the ‘how’and ‘what’decisions of elite table tennis
players". Human movement science, 2005. 24(3): p. 326-344.