Two physical education students from HPE join volleyball training in Tianjin

HPE students Chau Suet-yi, the left one in green on front row, and Wong Man-ching, the right one in green on front row, take a group photo with members of the Tianjin Women’s Volleyball Team.

HPE students Wong Man-ching and Chau Suet-yi join a training match with members of the Tianjin Women’s Volleyball Team at its training base in Tianjin. Many members of the national women’s volleyball team come from Tianjin.

In March, two students studying the Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Physical Education) (BEd(PE)) programme joined the Department of Health and Physical Education’s delegation to witness the Signing Ceremony of the Renewal of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) held between EdUHK and Tianjin University of Sport in Tianjin. They took the opportunity to partake in various activities at the university and visited the training base of the city’s women’s volleyball team. The students also took part in a training session of Tianjin Women's Volleyball Team.

Wong Man-ching, a fourth-year student of BEd(PE), was deeply impressed by the hospitality and professionalism of the teachers and students of Tianjin University of Sport. During the visit, she tried various sports including archery and shooting, and found the highly interactive teaching environment and modern training facilities of the university very impressive.

“We also visited and joined a training session at the Tianjin Women’s Volleyball Training Base. As a volleyball player, I had always dreamt of having such an opportunity. Being able to receive training from top-level volleyball players was really an once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. In Tianjin, I experienced how volleyball has become part of the city’s culture. The exchange had further fuelled my passion for sports. I hope I will have the opportunity to participate in similar activities again in the future,” said Man-ching.

Chau Suet-yi learns the sport of shooting at the training centre of Tianjin University of Sport.

Wong Man-ching and Chau Suet-yi join Professor John Lee Chi-kin, centre on the back row, President of EdUHK, and Dr Andy Tse Choi-yeung, sixth from left on the back row, Acting Head of HPE, and other academic and teaching staff from HPE to take a group photo with members of the Tianjin Women’s Volleyball Team at its training base in Tianjin.

Also joining the training was Chau Suet-yi, a fifth-year student from the same programme. Suet-yi was delighted for the opportunity to visit and join various exchange activities in Tianjin. She said learning to play shooting and archery at Tianjin University of Sport was an incredible experience, through which she discovered the high level of focus and sophisticated skills required to succeed in these two sports.

 

They showed high team spirit and perseverance in their training, which are keys to success in the highly competitive world of sports.

 

“I deeply appreciate the talent and hard work of the students from Tianjin University of Sport. The professionalism they demonstrated in training was phenomenal. Joining a training session with Tianjin Women’s Volleyball Team was incredible. They showed high team spirit and perseverance in their training, which are keys to success in the highly competitive world of sports. The pursuit of excellence of these top athletes deserves my deepest respect,” said Suet-yi.

Nicknamed as “Water drop”, the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium is a landmark of the coastal city.

Known as the “Diamond of the Bohai Gulf” and the gateway to the capital city of Beijing, Tianjin boasts a strong culture in sports. The city has many experiences in hosting large-scale sports events and exhibitions including the 2023 World Snooker International Championship, International Tennis Federation’s Men’s and Women’s World Tennis Tour, Tianjin Marathon, and International Intelligence Sports Congress. For many years, Tianjin also enjoys a reputation for nurturing talented athletes to represent the nation in various international competitions, particularly in women’s volleyball. Many members of the national women’s volleyball team come from Tianjin.

Dr Andy Tse Choi-yeung, Acting Head of HPE, believes that exchange activities such as the ones Man-ching and Suet-yi participated in Tianjin provide valuable opportunities for our students to learn from top level athletes of various sports. “By raising their awareness about the factors that affect athletic performances, these exchanges will help our students to change their mentality and attitude towards becoming a successful athlete. We will continue to organise these activities for our students in future,” Dr Tse said.

Click here to read related story about the HPE delegation exchanging ideas with higher institutions in Beijing and Tianjin, and the witnessing of the MOU signing ceremony with Tianjin University of Sport.