HPE organises Hong Kong’s first light volleyball competition for older adults, and sitting light volleyball competition for the physically challenged
A total of 17 teams consisted of 170 participants take part in Hong Kong’s first-ever light volleyball competition held by the Department of Health and Physical Education on 31 March 2024. The participating teams demonstrate good sportsmanship and steely determination to win the matches on the court.
The five winning teams will take part in the Grand Finals in July 2024, where they will compete against the top five teams from each of Shenzhen and Nanchang.
All athletes from the 17 participating teams, supporting staff from HPE and cheerers take a group photos before the competition held at the sports hall on Tai Po campus on 31 March 2024.
The Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE) organised Hong Kong’s first-ever light volleyball competition for older adults on 31 March 2024. Co-organised by the Hong Kong Light Volleyball Association, the event attracted 17 teams with over 170 participants, with ages ranging from 55 to 75. The five winning teams from Hong Kong will take part in the grand finals scheduled for July 2024, where they will compete against the top five teams from each of Shenzhen and Nanchang.
As light volleyball (LVB) utilises a ball that is lighter in weight, bigger in size, and stays longer in the air, LVB is a physical activity that is suitable for older adults. Funded by the University Grants Committee, the “Light Volleyball Competition for Older Adults 2024 (Hong Kong)” held on 31 March is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. The event is part of the “Promoting Healthy Ageing Through Light Volleyball Promotion in Hong Kong and Mainland China” research project led by Dr Carman Leung Ka-man, an HPE Associate Professor, and her team.
A total of 17 teams from Hong Kong competed in the heats held at EdUHK’s Tai Po campus on 16 March. While team Evergreen took home the championship on 31 March, the first runner-up and second runner-up went to YMCA Team A and Lok Yau Team A. Happy Team One and Yuen Long Team One were placed fourth and fifth in the Hong Kong finals. Similar light volleyball competitions will be held in Shenzhen and Nanchang by June 2024 to select their best five. The grand finals are scheduled for July 2024 at the Tai Po campus where the five winning teams from each of these three cities will compete for the final championship.
Sponsored by the Research Impact Fund, Dr Leung’s research project is divided into two phases. The research results from the first phase demonstrate that when compared with a group playing Tai Chi and a control group, playing light volleyball can significantly improve the physical and psychological health of older adults. In the second phase of the project, Dr Leung’s team has organised a number of activities to promote LVB in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Nanchang, including a series of workshops to train LVB coaches for older adults, a number of LVB classes, and competitions.
Since the launch of the project in 2019, a total of 200 light volleyball coaches for older adults in Shenzhen and Nanchang have completed their training, expecting to benefit more than 2,500 older adults. In Hong Kong, EdUHK cooperated with 19 institutions, including welfare NGOs, elderly centres and sports associations, to organise over 35 classes to train up 107 light volleyball coaches for older adults. In Hong Kong alone, 72 light volleyball classes have been organised, attracting about 900 older adults. A total of 17 similar classes have been arranged in Shenzhen and Nanchang, benefitting 600 older adults in these two cities.
Four teams, two from Hong Kong and two from Shenzhen, compete in the second Hong Kong Sitting Light Volleyball (SLVB) Competition on 3 March 2024.
Dr Carman Leung presents a souvenir flag to Mr Fu Xiangyang , Chairman of Shenzhen Disabled Persons’ Federation, and thanks him for the federation’s support of the SLVB competition.
Dr Carman Leung explains how SLVB can enhance physically disabled people’s cardiovascular endurance and enjoyment of physical activity as well as to reduce their fat mass.
In addition to sports for older adults, EdUHK strives to promote sports for people with disabilities. Together with Hong Kong Light Volleyball Association, the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth and GDCD Association Limited, HPE successfully held the second Hong Kong Sitting Light Volleyball Competition on 3 March 2024. The competition also received support from the Shenzhen Disabled Persons’ Federation, which brought together two teams from Shenzhen to take part in the event. Shenzhen Team Two, Hong Kong Team Two, and Shenzhen Team One have won the championship, the first runner-up, and second runner-up respectively.
Developed by Dr Leung and her team, sitting light volleyball (SLVB) is a team sport suitable for people of all ages with or without disabilities. According to the studies conducted by the team, it is discovered that SLVB could significantly increase the cardiovascular endurance of people who are physically challenged, their physical activity enjoyment, as well as to reduce their fat mass.
We look forward to organising more LVB and SLVB activities, competitive or recreational, in the future to promote social inclusion.
Dr Leung said, “We are committed to promoting both LVB and SLVB so that more people, including older adults and people with physical disabilities, can benefit from the sports. We look forward to organising more LVB and SLVB activities, competitive or recreational, in the future to promote social inclusion, and to allow more people from Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and other places to enjoy the sports, build friendships, and socialise.”
