The table tennis venue was bubbling today as players filed in for practice sessions, now fully aware that the 2015 Canada Games are mere hours away. Months of preparation will soon come to fruition in pursuit of medals that will be cherished for a lifetime.

Each player steps to the practice table with a strong sense of anticipation. As of right now any player may claim the prize. With that in mind the focus intensifies, and the pace ramps up to fever pitch: serve, topspin and block in orchestrated patterns, fine tuning muscle and brain memory.

Coaches calm their troops or insist on even more intensity. They are well aware of each player’s special talents, and potential weaknesses, always seeking the perfect pattern.

As the day winds down the steady drumming of plastic orb fades. An army of expert technicians arrive with a unified purpose: the courts are tidied, nets measured, surrounds straightened, lighting adjusted. No detail is ignored. The players, coaches and spectators deserve the best playing conditions and that is what they will have.

And then, almost without warning the gym is silent. It too is taking a breath and gathering its reserves.