The New York Islanders have found ways to keep up with the boredom in the bubble. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc all over the world, athletes are now turning to activities such as ping pong to help them maintain their sanity during these unprecedented times.  

But ping pong has always been a staple in the NHL. Just take a peek inside the locker room of any team and at the heart of every room is always a ping pong table.

Thanks to coronavirus, modern life as we know it has changed. Numerous sectors and fields have been impacted considerably by the spread of this virus; hockey is no exception. As a result of the pandemic, the world of hockey has experienced substantial deviations and interruptions in its normal routine and schedule.

Amid all the qualms burdening the resumptions of sports all over the world even as the virus continues to spread, the only thing that seems to work in Hockey and many other sports are sports bubbles. The continuing spread of the virus may have threatened to put an end to Hockey, but bubbles have helped to salvage the situation for the New York Islanders and many other teams.

So, what exactly are bubbles?

Bubbles are tightly controlled campus environments that keep athletes in tight quarters to keep them safe from the coronavirus threat. Sports bubbles are the best way for the NHL to continue conducting its business Bubbles help to give a sense of normalcy in the league, particularly as the virus continues to spread in large numbers, which threatens whether hockey will be played.

Contact sports, such as hockey, typically call for close, face to face extended contact with heavy breathing involved, which are the primary factors through which the coronavirus is spread. The situation is made even more complicated by the reality that some players may be asymptomatic, which means that they may not show any symptoms at all by virtue of being fit, young, healthy athletes.

These facts make contact sports, even outdoor ones like hockey, extremely risky. And here is the thing that you have to keep in mind- a sports team needs an array of staff members to function. This means trainers, coaches, media, and so on must all be quarantined together and follow established rules to avoid getting sick.

Spending days on end in a bubble might sound like the ultimate vacation for some people but these bubbles are anything but. In these bubbles, hockey players are still required to maintain discipline but the psychological challenges that stem from being away from their homes and families are hard to deal with. As such, players have been forced to come up with other creative ways to deal with boredom in the bubble, and ping pong is on top of the list for many.

Why ping pong?

As one of the quickest games in the world, ping pong is a great choice for all athletes whether they’re in the NHL or otherwise. Ping pong may be a competitive Olympic sport, but it is one of the most recreationally played in the world. It has also always been an integral component of the modern hockey locker room culture for years.

In truth, ping pong, even when played for fun, requires some serious chops and athleticism to beat your opponents and in turn offers anyone that takes part real physical and mental benefits. This probably explains why many athletes, including the Islanders, opt to play it during their downtime.

If you watch or play hockey regularly, then you know just how taxing it can be. Professional hockey players train hard. They put their bodies through the wringer and endure brutal conditions and workout routines all to fine-tune their bodies for one of the most physically demanding sports.

And when it comes down to it, these athletes put everything on the line to become the best that there is. Tales of players that keep playing through the pain are abound so when they are off the field, hockey players must find ways to relax. For many, time off the field is spent in some of the most unpredictable ways- such as playing more sports such as ping pong.

Ping pong is a great downtime activity because it allows NHL athletes to recover without being dormant. Even though recovery might not sound like the most exciting part of an athlete’s life, it is still a very vital component of making sure that their body is in tip-top shape to compete and train properly.

If the body does not recover properly, an athlete’s personal development, muscle growth as well as their athletic performance will be limited severely. Activities such as ping pong are fun and entertaining. Even when the players are losing, the social impact pays off when the NHL athletes take the field.

A lot of players also gravitate towards ping pong is because it is capable of testing some of the same attributes they use in hockey. However, it is completely removed from the pressure of performance and the scrutiny one faces when on the field.

In the end, quarantine bubbles can be unbearably hard to endure when an individual has nothing else to focus on, which is why ping pong is such a godsent. Plus, what could be better than gathering around a ping pong table in the spirit of comradery with one’s teammates during downtime?

Final Thoughts

The benefits of sports bubbles cannot be denied. However, they also have some downsides as well. Bubbles are not only incredibly difficult to enforce let alone organize, but they are also very costly to maintain. Even worse, they can be emotionally taxing to the athletes and everyone else involved because these individuals are kept from returning to their families and loved ones for weeks or months at a time.

Activities such as ping pong tournaments, however, do help to pass the time and make the situation a little more bearable. Even the most talented and focused athletes need to take a break now and again. While this may look like different things to different people, Ping Pong is the ideal activity of choice for the Islanders.