It's been a long time coming. Since the start of www.tablehockeycentral.com & Table Hockey Cafe back in November of 2001, there has been on and off talk about having one organized association for table hockey in the United States. Well, that talk has started again in Boston.

Mike Caponetti, Steve Bernstein and Kenny Dubois put together a Stiga tournament with Miller Brewing Company helping to sponsoring this event. While setting up the 2003 Miller Lite Boston Table Hockey Championship tournament, the trio floated the idea of uniting all the table hockey leagues across the United States, and create the USTHA (United States Table Hockey Association).

Personally, I embrace this idea. What it does, is bring all the leagues in the states together under one flag. It would allow for future sponsors to see that we are organized, and that we work together as a larger group, not just a bunch of smaller scatter leagues.

By doing this, we & the sport of table hockey might be a vehicle for sponsors to promote both there items and provide financial support to our leagues. There has also been talk about using sponsors money, plus fees from each player who is part of the USTHA to send the top players to the World Cup to compete against the world's best players. 

Although, I believe in this unity, fees & which players go the World Cup are my concerns. The other thing that must be addressed, is that Stiga events are not the only events that "OUR" fees should go to. To ask a table hockey player too fork over money; I want to make sure that "EVERY" player in "EVERY" league has a chance to be part of each World tournament, including ones held here in the States and Canada. By this, I mean that sponsors money, plus association fees go to pay for the champion of "EACH" league, be it Stiga or Vintage league. If possible, maybe the top two players in each league can go to these tournaments. To pay a fee, and not be able to compete for these top spots would be nonsense. 

Being a table hockey player, I play for the fun of the game. If a trophy is my reward for this fun...Great! It's important to keep focused on the future, but our future must include all players and all styles of table hockey. Stiga maybe the game of choice, because it's the only true manufactured table that everyone can effort to purchase, and is played world-wide. The vintage games from the '50's-'80's can't be discounted. Call it Old-School, call it what you want, but leagues that have been around for over 35 years like the CTHL, have kept this sport of ours alive. To turn away and forget our past would be sinful. Each generation should be aware of it's past. 

Although, at this point the USTHA is still just an idea, we need to consider a lot of different things. To be single-minded would stop this creative idea dead in its tracks. Things to keep in mind:

If you have something you would like to add to this subject, you can e-mail:

Mike Caponetti at MACKLC@aol.com , Steve Bernstein at mthl@attbi.com or Adam Zawislak at lordstanley00@hotmail.com