Dennis Davis is one of the leading coaches in America and was recently flown to the 2005 World Championships in Shanghai, China by the ITTF.  He presented the bid for the 2007 World Junior Championships along with USATT officials and members of the Bay Area Olympic Organizing Committee and for the first time in the history of the sport, a World Championship is coming to North America.

The Bay Area Team in Shanghai: (left to right) Melinda Yee Franklin (Board Member Bay Area Organizing Committee), Dr Azmy Ibrahim (International Referee), Sheri Pittman (President of the United States of America Table Tennis Association), Anne Cribbs (President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bay Area Organizing Committee), Dennis Davis (Chair of the Local Organizing Committee), Steve Hallgrimson (Local Organizing Committee Member), Mike Bruner (Board Member of Bay Area Organizing Committee)

California Table Tennis: How did you get tied up with the Bay Area Olympic organizing committee?

Dennis Davis: They contacted me to help them put together the table tennis portion of the 2012 Olympic Bid. 

California Table Tennis: They placed a bid for the 2012 Olympics and lost to New York.  What is BASOC trying to do differently this time to win the bid in 2016?

Dennis Davis:  I believe losing was a blessing in disguise as I do not believe NY will win against Paris, London, Moscow or Madrid to hold the Olympics.  If BASOC decides to go for it we have a better chance in 2016.  Obviously when you go through a bid process you learn which things you can do better the next time.  Since I was not responsible for the bid I can't really give you a clear answer on what will be done differently for a potential 2016 bid.

California Table Tennis: What are your reasons for holding the Junior Worlds?

Dennis Davis:  1. To raise interest in table tennis in the bay area. 2. to push forward TT as an NCAA emerging sport for women and 3. to push forward for a full-time TT training center in the Bay Area.
 
California Table Tennis:  What would need to happen for you to consider the Junior Worlds a success?

Dennis Davis:  1.If we can reach 10,000 total spectators for the full week tournament.  2. We have the event broadcast in the US and hopefully overseas.  3.  Also that we can provide sponsors with high value for their commitment to us as we want to create a long term relationship. 4.  The ITTF is pleased with the event and would like us to bid for the big world championships.

California Table Tennis:  What was the ITTF's reaction to your bid?

Dennis Davis: It was very positive.  Below is part of an email from Mikael Andersson, the ITTF Global Junior Program Director:
"Allow me to grab the opportunity and thank you all for a nice and professional approach showed in Shanghai.  I am very pleased with the fact that the ITTF World Junior Table Tennis Championships,  despite being a very young event,  is starting to get recognition from promotional partners also outside the inner circles of our sport."


California Table Tennis: You are the Chair of the USATT NCAA Committee, when do you see women's table-tennis become an NCAA sport and what would need to happen before NCAA considers it?

Dennis Davis:  There are some intermediate steps that have to be taken previous to TT becoming a full NCAA Championship sport.  The first step is to be recognized as an emerging sport for women by the NCAA Women's Committee.  This will take about 2-3 years.  The next step is to have at least 40 schools to have TT as a varsity sport.  This will take another 4 years or so.  So a total of 6-8 years is my guess if things go smoothly.