In line with the "Happy HIE" initiative to foster fitness awareness and strengthen inter-departmental bonds, our university hosted the 11th Light Volleyball Tournament from May 19 to 29 at the university gymnasium. The event brought together nearly 300 participants from 18 teams representing various trade union branches, directly-affiliated groups, and retired faculty members.

Deputy Party Secretary Xiang Qian delivered the opening address and officially declared the tournament open, with attendance by University Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Qi Luliang and Party Committee Member/Vice President Wu Zhijun.

The tournament delivered thrilling matches as faculty members became energetic athletes, showcasing exceptional sportsmanship. Players' superb techniques and spirited performance drew thunderous applause from spectators throughout the competitions.

The competition adopted a 5-a-side mixed gender format (5 players per team, with at least 2 female players on court). Eighteen teams were divided into 4 groups for round-robin preliminaries, followed by crossover knockout rounds to determine the top 8 finalists.

After intense matches, the School of Sports Science and the Administrative Division team 1 shared championship honors, while the Business School team claimed third place. Rankings 4th through 8th went to teams representing School of Information Science, School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, School of Foreign Languages, Administrative Division 2, Joint team of Applied Technology School & Medical Engineering Technology School.

The tournament successfully concluded on the evening of May 29, with university leaders and organizing committee officials presenting awards to winning teams during the closing ceremony. In post-event interviews, faculty participants affirmed that the light volleyball competition served not merely as an athletic arena, but more significantly as a bonding catalyst. Many emphasized how the event reinforced teamwork spirit while delivering the pure joy of sports participation. This competition is sponsored by the University Trade Union and organized by the School of Sports Science and Engineering and the Staff and Faculty Volleyball Association.

(Reviewed by Wang Jiayi, Wang Xingzhou)