Listening to the ball quickly hitting the game table, it
makes one think of a rattlesnake. Then, the noise of the bat hitting the
ball conjures up competitiveness, the desire to win and beat the opponent.
Watching a series of showdown games, you realize that, as in every sport, there are excellent players competing against those who are less able. And you understand as well that it is not a question of blind luck leading the game, but an ability stemming from the acute senses, the fluid dynamics of athletic gestures, the use of tactics to the high sides of the game table, catching the ball on the bounce, taking advantage of the paths like rams to cross the threshold of the other one's door. A strange combination of ping pong and table football, if an amateur were to describe the arena where showdown is played. It has its own particular rules which are enforced by the only seeing person in the game, the referee. The two players will follow instinct and ability to strike the shots, to throw the ball in the opponent's door, only a few centimetres wide, but enough to bring out the abilities of the most skilful players. And you should not think that it is enough to place the pat in front of one's own door to avoid each shoot of the opponent, the referee is watching carefully and is ready to point out the transgression at all times.
The sport practiced by disabled people does not allow, obviously, any weakness because it requires the respect of the rules and allows only the best to win over the opponent. Consequently, the athletes who practice showdown learn quite early the regulations, also because every violation entails that a point is given to the opponent. To score a goal means getting two points and one wins when reaching eleven points. The set has a maximum time, but the time limit is rarely reached given that the athletes are always able to find a way to victory first. It is honestly said that whoever watches a match of showdown tends to forget that the players cannot see the ball. And this happens because it is rare that a shot is missed and the strength with which the ball is hit in the opponent's field is such that one can only think that the shot was aimed. Of course, the tournament in which I watched these players were not competing in their first game.
So, you can imagine that, as for every sports activity, showdown requires a remarkable commitment from the beginners and so much practice. It is not a sport where fans can express loudly their encouragement because it is required to keep absolute silence to allow the athletes to feel the ball and to listen to its trajectories. The opportunity of the March 6th national tournament (athletes from Milan, Florence, Bologna and Sicilia participated) in Via Castiglione was offered on the occasion in which two game tables were given to the Istituto Cavazza by Lions Club of Budrio and by Res - Co s.r.l., respectively by President Valeria Celli and by the owners, the Gironi brothers. The management of the tables was left to the Polisportiva Atletico Torball of Bologna and are available to competitive athletes as well as beginners.
