FAQ
Where are you located?
We’re at 122 Pleasant Street, Suite 111 in the Keystone Building. The entrance is directly across from Gerry’s Variety Store. We’re on the first floor directly ahead as you enter.
If you get here and need more guidance about our location, call us at 413-203-5942.
Where can I park?
In order of priority:
1. On Pleasant street directly in front of the Keystone Building where Zing! is located. Gerry’s Variety Store is across the street. The “15 minute parking” sign is only for the two spots directly across from Gerrys’.
2. Across the street in the Keystone parking lot to the left of Gerry’s.
3. At either end of the Keystone Building (leave loading dock doors clear).
Do you need to be a member to play?
You never need to be a member to play or participate in any of Zing!’s activities. All welcome! Always!!
What ages and skill levels play at Zing!?
All ages! – from 5 to 95! Parents with young kids, families, dating and married couples, juniors (see KIDS section), college students, 20-30-40-50 somethings, new retirees and generations of families plays here.
Skill levels: From beginners to advanced tournament players. Zing! has 8 different
What are the health benefits of table tennis?
There are many physical, mental, and emotional benefits to table tennis including:
- Improved Balance.
- Increased reflexes.
- Improved heart function and aerobic capacity.
- Improved decision making skills.
- Relieves Depression through exercise. The sound of the ball on the table brings people into the moment it’s great fun at any level. And the enjoyment of being with others can bring a smile to your face!
- Weight loss and control. One of Zing!’s members lost over 50 pounds playing table tennis.
Additionally, table tennis can be played at any level of fitness, so you can start easily and increase the intensity as your physical conditioning improves.
Do you need to make reservations?
While drop-ins are warmly welcome, it’s best to call ahead to ensure table availability. You can also book court time, lessons, and robot rentals online.
Are paddles and balls available?
Yes, we rent quality paddles for $1 each and sell a tournament approved ball which is yours to keep. You can also bring your own gear.
What does it cost to play?
• You can rent a table with friends for $16 for the first hour plus $2 per each additional 15 minutes.
• You can join our Weekly Round Robin Group Plays (about 2 hours for $10).
For our full rate chart go HERE.
I’m a beginner, how can I learn?
Here are some ways to learn and improve your game:
• Take a private, semi-private or group lesson with one of Zing!’s skilled certified coaches.
• Rent practice time on our programmable robot.
• Drop into one of our regular weekly Round Robin group play events.
• Come with a friend and become regular practice partners.
• Once we’ve seen you play we can suggest partners for you.
• And our staff is happy to provide quick tips on how to hold a paddle, or to explain the rules.
What are my options if I don’t have a partner?
Play in one of our eight weekly Round Robins or rent our programmable Table Tennis Robot. You can also book a private lesson where we can evaluate your game and suggest partners for you.
Do you have coaching for beginners? Advanced players?
Yes, we offer skilled coaching for all levels with our certified pros.
What are your coaching credentials?
- Our coaches are certified by the International Table Tennis Federation or received training abroad.
- Our coaching staff is also SafeSport Certified through the US Olympic Committee.
- Noel Abbott, owner, holds coaching certifications through the USA Table Tennis Association at State Level (USATT), the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and through the American Youth Table Tennis Association (AYTTO). Noel also received umpire’s certification through the USATT.
How do I set up private lessons?
Call us. We’ll schedule you with one of our coaches. Or schedule a half-hour or one-hour lesson online.
Do you offer group lessons?
Yes. We offer group programs for kids and adults and a Summer Program for kids.
Are food and beverages available?
Yes, we offer a range of healthy snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for sale.
Do you serve Alcohol?
No. Zing! is non-alcoholic. However, there are excellent brewery options nearby including Abandoned Building Brewery, New City Brewery, and Riff’s Joint.
What’s the difference between Table Tennis and Ping Pong?
“Table Tennis” is the official name of this international sport. “Ping Pong” is a name coined by Parker Brothers (the inventors of the game Monopoly) in the early 2oth century.
Worldwide, the sport is referred to as Table Tennis and is played in the Summer Olympics.
Where can I learn the rules of Table Tennis?
- The basic rules of Table Tennis can be found here: https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RULES.pdf
- For more in-depth rules, see this link on the International Table Tennis Federation. ( page 34 “The Laws of Table Tennis”) https://d3mjm6zw6cr45s.cloudfront.net/2018/02/2018ITTFHandbook_v2.pdf_0.pdf
- Our Zing! staff is also happy to answer your rules questions.
How did you get the name Zing!?
The name Zing! was created by Alan Boyd, our start-up marketing and branding expert. Zing!® is a brand name trademarked through the US Patent and Trade Office.
Where can I park?
Street parking on Zing!’s side is legal. Just don’t park in the two 15-minute spots across from Gerry’s Variety Store.
You can also park in the Keystone lot across from our building.
Do you sell equipment?
Yes. Zing! has the only full service pro shop in the region offering a wide range of well priced paddles, balls, nets, Zing! shirts, and accessories. To take your game to the next level, we can build you a custom competition paddle.
The best part: test out demos of almost all you’ll buy. You’ll know what you’re getting and have our expert advice to guide you.
Drop by Zing! and we’ll get you set up.
Do you have locker rooms with showers?
While Zing! has no locker rooms or showers. Some people change in the large hall bathrooms.
Zing! does have small 12” cubed lockers where you can bring your own lock and store your valuables while playing. Lockers are also rentable by the year.
Where do I put my things? Can I store my gear between visits?
Leave small items on our lounge tables, in our lockers (bring your own lock for valuables), or bring them to your playing table. Leave street shoes and gear bags on the lounge floor.
You can also rent small lockers to store your gear between visits.
What does it cost to play at Zing!?
We rent tables by the hour with reduced rates for members and set rates for our Round Robins. For details, see our Rates page.
Some options:
- Rent a table by the hour for up to four people – adults & kids.
- Join one of our Round Robins for $10.
- Members pay either $5 or $0 to play all day depending upon level of membership.
- Reserve practice time on Zing!’s robot.
Do you charge per person?
No. If you rent a table for your group, we charge by table time.
If you don’t charge per person then how much does each guest pay?
You pay your portion of the table time fee. For example: If four people play on one table for one hour then each person pays $4.
Since the second full hour costs $8, an additional hour would cost $2 extra per person, but we pro-rate the second hour in 15 minute increments, so each additional 15 minutes costs $2 for your group.
Can I save money with a Zing! Membership?
Yes, if you play once a week or more you’ll save money and enjoy a range of member benefits. Members can play all day (tables available) for $5 or free, depending upon membership option chosen.
We offer several kinds of memberships for individuals, families, juniors, Early Birds, and corporations. Check our Rates Page under Memberships for details.
Do you host group play events?
Yes. Zing! has three weekly “Drop-In” Round Robins: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.
We also host Women’s Community Night on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month in the Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Check our Calendar for details and updates.
Do you host other kinds of events?
Yes – all kinds. Small and large. For adults and kids. Private parties and corporate events.
We’ve hosted birthday parties, graduation celebrations, college groups, wedding parties, and more.
We also host fundraisers and offer special rates for educational and non-profit institutions.
No matter what your event, we’ll work with you to plan and create something memorable.
Any special events?
Yes, we have a dynamic schedule of events including:
• Date Nights, Couples Nights, Kid’s Play, and “Paddle Your Stress Away” Friday nights. We’re even considering Speed Dating nights – stay tuned!
And our special events include:
• Food and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Basic coaching, if you wish, on how to hold the paddle and keep the ball in play.
What is a Round Robin?
In a Round Robin you’ll play everyone else in your assigned group. This is a format we most often use in Zing!’s tournaments.
Zing!’s four weekly Round Robins might be run more informally but you’ll still get to play with a variety of partners. And Zing!’s staff will set you up.
Do you host tournaments?
Yes! Zing!’s spacious facility with ITTF tournament approved tables, superb lighting, high ceilings, and space around the tables makes it an ideal tournament location.
We run Open tournaments featuring singles and doubles events. We also run events for novices and kids.
We’ll be introducing an exciting new Skills Challenge series where players at all levels can test and improve their skills and win prizes.
To stay informed of upcoming tournaments, sign up for our Newsletter. We’ll never sell your name, we don’t send junk, and we won’t send often.
Do you host private events?
Yes! Zing! is the perfect place for celebrations and trainings. We host corporate events, birthday parties, fundraisers, graduations, reunions, wedding parties, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers and more!
How many people can your facility accommodate?
Up to 80 people, however, for larger events, we can accommodate over 200 people through space in the Boylston Room across the hall.
Can I rent out the whole facility?
Yes! To schedule whole facility rental call us at 413-203-5942.
Do you offer additional event options?
Absolutely! We’ll suggest various options based upon your goals and needs.
These include: group instruction, the use of our programmable robot, team building games and competitions, setting up or running tournament events, providing tables, and dishware for your food and drink. We can also provide trophies and prizes for birthday parties and event winners.
Do you offer team building activities for corporate events?
Yes! We draw upon our experience in corporate consulting and team building events both within corporations and at Zing! to learn about your training goals, time frames and budget. Then we offer design options to achieve them.
Is Zing! kid friendly?
Yes! We love children! Zing!’s a friendly and welcoming environment for kids.
Do you offer special rates for kids?
Yes, kids playing with other kids play at the special rate of $5 for the first hour and $2.50 for each additional hour.
We also offer an annual Junior All Play Membership (unlimited play) for $180, or $18 per month for kids through 16 years old.
Do you run programs for kids?
Absolutely. We have weekly Junior after school group programs, Summer Academies, and special holiday programs.
What is the youngest age for kids to learn Table Tennis?
Depending upon their focus and maturity they can start lessons as early as six. The weight of the paddle is suited to their size and strength. And table tennis teaches skills that train for many other sports.
Since kids love the action and excitement of the game, bring them with you at any age.
Can kids go to Zing! alone?
While we love children, they must be accompanied by an adult unless they are in a group program. See our Policies for detailed information, or call us with questions.
Do you host parties for kids?
Absolutely! Ask about our special kid’s Birthday or Graduation party packages which include instruction with our robot, food and snacks, all set-ups, and a fun memento Zing! cartoon T-shirt for your special celebrant.
