Physical lessons aim to build up the students’ strength and health. Participation in sport can nurture students and help to build up the spirit of making unremitting efforts to improve themselves, surpassing themselves and of never giving up.
Hong Kong Shue Yan University organized its 20th Sports Day on 30th March, 2008. Students broke five official records out of 33 events, which was a better effort than last year. What levels of physical strength have students reached; what degree of sports performance have they achieved; do students have a developed sports consciousness?
Our reporter interviewed Mr. Gong Xiao En, Director of Physical Education Department, to seek some answers to these questions.
Overall, what do you think the rating of physical strength among HKSYU students?
The overall physical strength and sports ability are basically of the same standard as exists among all Hong Kong university students. There is no real difference between Shue Yan students and those from other universities.
How would you describe sports consciousness among HKSYU students?
I think Shue Yan students have a desire to participate in sports and most of them do not care about the inadequate athletics facilities. I appreciate the fact that the students are keen to participate in the sports function under such conditions.
However, sports consciousness on the part of students is not high. There are the two reasons for this. One is the students have not been interested in sports since childhood. They are not used top laying sports. The other reason has a closer link with the university’s facilities. If the facilities were upgraded, I believe that that would raise the students’ interest in sports.
There were about 310 students who participated on Sports Day, which is approximately 8.4% of the total student population of 3,700. This is a similar number to who participated last year. Do you think the number is acceptable or below average?
I think it is an acceptable number. We book the government sports centre every year. Shue Yan is not a priority listing on the booking list, so that the day allotted is hard to fit with the university’s schedule. I know that there the number of university students from other institutions who take part is lower than us, even they may have their own track and sports field. Of the 300 people who participated in sports day, many are physical education students. They want to apply their knowledge in a practical manner, and they strive to do their best.
There are all together 16 sports teams in HKSYU now. In outside competition they have not had much success as yet. For example, at the 47th HKPSCAA Sports Day, the HKSYU team only rank 9th out of 11 teams, which is not a good result. What do you think the team can do to improve their competitiveness against other universities?
Our Sports teams faces great difficulties in improving its athlete prowess, since they are very much volunteers. They don’t even have a designated coach. There are objective reasons for the middling result. We do not have a special scheme for elite athlete enrolment nor scholarships in order to attract outstanding athletes to study in Shue Yan. We cannot provide the sports grounds for practice. The different teams have to seek sports faculties on their own.
Although the above situation shows that the university does not provide enough assistance, we still encourage students to develop their skills and continue to participate in external completions. This can enhance mutual learning and cohesion among students, as well as student-to-school cohesion and the reputation of the university.
There are six physical education lessons each semester. Have you considered increasing the number of classes in the future?
With 25 students in each class, 300 students can be involved each semester. It is already enough to satisfy student needs. Though some students are on a waiting list, that number is not small. So, at this moment, we won’t increase the number of classes.
Has the university considered modeling itself on other universities; for example, those on the Mainland, where physical education can be taken as a core course?
I don’t agree. University students should have the spirit of independent learning, so that students should not be forced to engage in sports. On the contrary, via encouragement and education, they can make students enthusiastic to sports.
Will HKSYU hold a swimming competition?
The university currently doesn’t have such a plan. We need to consider the number participating and the time management of these issues. But, I am thinking to hold talks about ways to increase the students’ interest in swimming.
Mr. Gong Xiao En’s Brief Biography
At the age of 9 he was chosen by his coach to start professional swimming training. In 1973, he was awarded a Nation-wide Teen Swimming Competition freestyle swimming silver medal, was the 1975 Shanghai freestyle swimming record holder and he became a national second level swimming referee and national third level football referee. He has studied at in the Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai Institute of Education, the Cologne Institute of Physical Education and the University of South Australia. Since 2005, he has been the Director of Physical Education Department at Hong Kong Shue Yan University and has taught physical education and physical education sociology in Hong Kong Lingnan University.
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