The largest club at Elder has finally returned. The Ping Pong club is back and better than ever, with Ping Pong headmaster Mr. Pieper at the center of it all.

For those of you that are not aware, Elder’s Ping Pong club meets every Friday when announced in the Schaeper Center. Seven (sometimes eight) tables are always set up and have crowds of students surrounding each one, with everyone waiting their turn. It depends on the table and how the match is going, but typically, the winner gets to stay at the table and the loser must forfeit their position to the next person in line. Some girls even stop by from Seton to take part in this famous club.

Last year, the Ping Pong club released merchandise that was advertised on their Twitter page. These sweaters can be seen on students today, and I wear mine quite proudly. This year, a piece of third-party merchandise has already been released by sophomore Nick Kramer. He is giving out pins.

As some of you may have noticed, Mr. Pieper’s face has been everywhere throughout the school. Hallways, the cafeteria, and even some classrooms feature the admissions director’s glorious face in the classic style of Obama’s “HOPE” poster. This image was created by senior Sam Becker, a “board member” in the Ping Pong club, and was used by Kramer . Mine is pinned to my backpack, and it is among my most valued possessions.

I took the time to speak to Becker, who made and sold the timeless Ping Pong sweaters last year. He was extremely excited at the turnout for the most recent meeting, and has big plans for this year. “This winter is in store for some big enhancements: all new high end merch, new music…” Last year, with the new Schaeper Center being newly renovated, a speaker system was implemented. This allowed for a computer with an aux cord to be set up, and any Spotify playlist could be blasted all throughout the multi-purpose room.

As for the merch, we have little details. Although the “high-end” description is exciting, there is no way for us to know what Becker is planning. He ends the questionnaire by saying, “Ping Pong Club last year was good, but this year won’t compare.” Seeing as last year’s club was the best ever, we can’t wait for this winter when Becker will return.

The most recent meeting of the Ping Pong club was dominated by freshman, with only few upperclassmen being present. This is great for the foundation of the club, as new blood is needed to pass on the torch. I talked to freshman member Joey Mathews, who just joined at the most recent meeting. “I think it’s great that the other freshman are getting involved, although it was pretty crowded last time.” He seems to be enjoying the club overall, saying, “If they came out with more merch, I would 100% buy it. I’d be first in line.”

Overall, Ping-Pongers should be extremely excited about the upcoming meetings. The club gets better with every session, and the members should have high expectations for the future of the organization.