In the late 19th century, a game surfaced in Britain. It was known as table tennis, and it was all the rage. Now it is called ping-pong, but is just as popular as ever. Today, a group of Ames High students are trying to get the game to catch on here. I-Pong; (intramural ping-pong) has officially begun and is welcoming new members to join. “I-Pong usually consists of people constantly moving around and playing different people at different tables,” senior Pasha Beresnev said. “There are many people playing, along with many people watching and cheering. This creates a pretty intense atmosphere, especially because everyone is packed close together.” Unlike the other intramural sports offered at Ames High, I-Pong is completely free. “We are not here to make money. Instead, we want to have fun,” Beresnev said. Since it is free of charge, I-Pong recently held bake sales at school to raise money for new tables. “We thought a bake sale would be a quick and easy way to make some money. However, we never expected to make as much money as we did,” Beresnev said. One reason the bake sale was such a hit was because of the food offered. “We sold everything exotic, including Chinese dumplings, sushi, and Indian food, but also your standard brownies, cookies, etc.” Beresnev said. One reason they sold such different items was to try and reach to those who don’t usually buy from bake sales. “We thought we couldn’t go wrong by selling the usual items, however, we also wanted to try to get some of the people who don’t usually buy from bake sales to try our non-traditional items,” Beresnev said. I-Pong is currently held after school on Fridays. But if interest grows, the club will consider adding it on Wednesday after school also. It is located in the hallway to the left of the auditorium; one can just walk in through the back lobby entrance and go upstairs. Beresnev also wanted to express the welcoming environment. “Anyone can come to I-Pong, no matter what skill level they are. We provide all of the equipment, so all you need to do is show up.”