Making an appointment with the President at table tennis(43489)


The President playing with one challenger	Paying respect to the President by applause and flowers

Talking on "table tennis and life"	LI Yuanyuan: SCUT students should believe in "Every man has his gift."

The President presenting to each student a notebook with his signature "To make unceasing efforts to improve and to pursue excellence."	Saying goodbye to the President by hand-shaking

On the afternoon of April 23, the 3rd "Making an appointment with the President" activity pulled its curtain open at the table tennis room on the 3rd floor of the West Gymnasium. By the invitation of SCUT's Table Tennis Student Association, LI Yuanyuan, President of South China University of Technology, had a special appointment with some table tennis student lovers here.

Launched last year, the activity of "Making an appointment with the President" is well received by the students. This time, through sport and table tennis, students knew the other side of their president.

A serious president on the playing ground

Dressed like a professional player, the President arrived at the table tennis room at three sharp. Shaking hands with every student happily, he said: "I'm very glad to see so many student sports lovers in SCUT. I hope that all of you can become the advocates and models of sports." As far as the game was concerned, he added seriously: "I hope that everyone of you take the game seriously and win." His words greatly inspired the students and heated the competitive atmosphere.

By the international competition rules, there are five rounds of the game and the full score of each is 11. The team which wins three rounds wins out. The rules were strictly followed except that the players were 1 to 13: the President himself would compete with a team consisting of 13 students.

Waves of applause and joyful cheers were constantly heard during the game. Students were excited to see the President's faces beaming with happiness when he gained a point, and he would tell the student player not to be nervous; when losing, the President would tell himself to be careful and brush aside disappointment.

Moved by his perseverance, all the students began to take the game seriously. When a student continuously lost scores, the director of the Association asked for a time-out according to the rules. Then they headed together and worked out a competitive strategy. And it did work well. Finally the student won the game.

The President greatly approved their efforts: "Well done! What an efficient strategy!"

Time flied in excitement. During the two hours, the President had played with four students and beat three of them. The students paid their respect to him by applause and flowers.

"To strive and progress."

After the game, the President had a nice talk with the students.

On hearing that the students had prepared days for this game, the President laughed: "No matter what you do, never be afraid of anyone who is said to be authoritative and famous." "Playing table tennis also needs psychological techniques. Sometimes we face a strong rival or encounter an emergency unexpectedly, how can we find the proper way to deal with the situation within the shortest time? How can we learn to be observant and to read the other's mind? Frequently, we have to handle these situations in our ordinary life.

No matter how difficult it is, how tough the competitor appears to be, we should believe in ourselves and stay stronger. Just as in our study and life, in playing table tennis we pursue perfection, excellence and self-improvement. Furthermore, the habit of team work can be formed and strengthened as well.

Rather than one person, it is the whole team playing the game", the President said emotionally.

To sports, the President attached great importance by saying that a good health is a prerequisite to efficient working especially in our highly intensified and fast-paced circumstances. Therefore, it is important to form the habit of building a strong body through sports, and take it as a necessary part of our daily life.

Among the players, two students will graduate this year. The President appeared much concerned about their situation. He said that the University was trying by every means to help the students start a working career. What is more essential, students should have confidence in themselves and believe that every man has his gift.

At the end of the talk, the President gave a notebook to each student as a gift, on which he wrote: "Make unceasing efforts to improve ourselves and to pursue excellence for you and me." When asked by the students whether he could play another game with them, the President said happily: "Of course, I can!"

Edited by HU Nanping and CHANG Wei

From SCUT News Network

Making an appointment with the President at table tennis

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