Golf provides change of pace for Cheyenne Mountain table tennis star

FALCON – As far as Austin Preiss is concerned, golf is ping to table tennis’ pong.

“The mental preparation is pretty much the same,” he said. “It’s good cross-training. … For table tennis, you have to have a lot of energy for a short amount of time because the game is 20 minutes long. And also, you have to have fast reflexes.

“For golf, you have a lot of time to think, a lot of time to do stuff. In a way, they’re different, but they’re good for each other.”

Preiss, a sophomore at Cheyenne Mountain, shot a 15-over-par 87 on Thursday to finish second in the 13-15 division at the State Games of America tournament at Antler Creek Golf Course.

But it’s his table tennis that is really taking him places. The six-time U.S. junior table tennis champion returned from Israel this week after winning the junior consolation singles title at the Maccabiah Games, an Olympics-style competition for Jewish athletes.

Preiss, who will turn 15 in September, travels 50,000 miles a year — from England and Germany to Japan and South Korea — to play exhibitions on military bases and at corporate events with his dad, Scott, a former coach for USA Table Tennis.

But Austin’s ultimate destination is London for the 2012 Olympics, which Scott said is a realistic goal.

Austin’s table tennis training will increase once the summer ends and his time on the golf course diminishes. Not that he’s giving up on golf. He’ll compete again this fall for the Indians.

“2012 in London, that’s my goal for table tennis,” he said. “And for golf, wherever it takes me for right now. I’m gonna try to do well for my high school team this year and hopefully get a scholarship to a good college.”

Setting the table

The Preiss family of Manitou Springs bonds over a different kind of table.

Scott Preiss, 52, is a former U.S. national table tennis coach and two-time national champion. Adam, 17, won two Colorado junior titles, and Austin, 14, is a six-time U.S. junior champion and 2012 Olympic team hopeful.

The sons learned from dad. Dad learned from President Nixon.

“When Nixon came back from the Ping-Pong Diplomacy (in 1971), I cut school and went to the shopping mall where the U.S. team was performing,” Scott said. “I raised my hand out of 200 kids, and the U.S. champion called on me, and he kicked my butt so bad.

“I was so amazed at the speed that I stopped playing golf. I was shooting in the low 80s and 70s when I was 15-16, and I stopped to train for table tennis. My dad thought I was crazy. I’ve been making a living now for 25 years in table tennis so I can’t complain.”

Scott and his sons still hit the links though. Scott finished third in the senior men’s division at the State Games of America. Adam and Austin, both members of the Cheyenne Mountain golf team, took second in the 16-18 and 13-15 divisions, respectively.