Sports Meeting 运动会

One year ago, Wuhan University of Technology’s (WHUT) annual track and field weekend was cancelled because Ministry of Education officials were visiting the university in order to evaluate the school’s progress. As a “key” university, it is crucial for WHUT to pass all evaluations by the government in order for it to continue to receive funding. Initially, I was disappointed to hear that the events would be cancelled, but pleased to have both the basketball rims strung up with nets and a newly constructed track and field, free from dirt and dust. After the officials’ departure, the nets disappeared but the track and field remained intact. Since then, the track and field have been a source of constant activity and school spirit on campus.

Last weekend, I was pleased to attend WHUT’s annual three-day sports competition. I enjoy these types of events because I am able to see a multitude of WHUT teachers, administrators and students gather together on the track and field. In similar fashion to the Olympic opening ceremony, participants and prominent guests marched around the track field waving their nation’s flag as students and spectators cheered them on. You can view the procession here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38S7fngLp3I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNXJ1PpEvKU&feature=related


The weather was raining off and on and fortunately held off for the opening ceremony to began at 9:30 A.M. The opening ceremony consisted of 900 students performing tai chi and pre-school students performing a Chinese “friendship” song. A handful of my students participated in the track and field events and others joined the Foreign Language cheerleading squad and sat in the bleachers in the formation of a “V” for victory. Over 20 departments participated and it appeared that the management department had the most organized cheerleaders and best athletes.

Unfortunately, as soon as I started to take photographs, my camera lost its battery power. One of my students, Don Winter, who is an outgoing student who will tell me about his ambitious plans to fix the economic crisis during class breaks or will blurt out inappropriate comments during class that certain girls gained weight over a holiday break, took it upon himself to be my escort for the day and to subsequently ask every person who held a camera to send me his or her photographs. It turned out to be serendipitous as I was able to meet the organizers of the university’s photography association! Below are some of their photographs of the sports competition.

Leading up to the sports competition, I decided to focus two of my lessons on physical education in China and America. My favorite part of the lesson was teaching them the sport of lacrosse, about which they didn’t have any prior knowledge. I brought my lacrosse stick into the classroom. I remember that this particular stick was one of my biggest purchases in college and it involved copious amounts of research by my father. I told my students that it cost 90 dollars (630 Yuan), which shocked them especially after they initially thought the stick was used as a cleaning tool, face mask, and fishing stick.

In one of my classes, I decided to hold a competition at the end of class. I held a 1 v. 1 game and the final contestants were Monica and Eartha. I had the students choose which player they thought would win. I figured they would choose Monica because of all my female students she is the strongest student in the class. The students, however, overwhelming wanted Eartha, nicknamed the “Golden Mirror.” I didn’t know why they chose her just like I didn’t understand her popularity with the students. In class Eartha is one of the quietest students and sometimes I think she is moving in slow motion. But as soon as I said “go!” Eartha went into full motion trying all these different spin moves and bouncing all around while still keeping the yellow ball safe in the pocket of her stick. She was completely determined to cross that end line and my students knew it as they shouted intensely for her. Monica stayed by her side by shuffling her legs as Eartha maneuvered her way around the front of the classroom, but in the end Eartha won. As the whole class clapped in excitement for Eartha, she returned unassumingly back to her seat. She did it so effortlessly. She was golden that day.

Kindergarten students perform "friendship song" which is commonly learned in
Chinese primary school:
找朋友的歌:
找朋友, 找朋友, 找到一个好朋友
敬个礼, 握握手, 我们都嗜好朋友

Law student at the start of the 100m

太极 ／ Tàijí ／ Taiqi