On November 15 and 16, our Middle School ‘Under 15 (U15)’ badminton team made history by participating in the Network for Enriching Students and Schools in China (NESSIC) Badminton Tournament held at AISL Harrow Haikou in Haikou, Hainan. This occasion marked the first time one of our Badminton teams ventured outside of Shanghai for a sports tournament, and the excitement was palpable as they embarked on this memorable journey.
The tournament was a vibrant showcase of talent, bringing together 10 schools and a total of 65 athletes competing in both Under 15 and Under 19 categories. Our team, guided by Head of PE Shaina He and Coach Jordan Gu, included six dedicated middle school players from the U15 division: Nora Zhang (Class 6D), Coco Huang (6F), Melissa Xie (7D), Tao Chen (7D), Vincent Zheng (8C), and Eden Lin (8F).
As the matches unfolded, our players demonstrated remarkable skill and sportsmanship. We are proud to highlight their outstanding achievements within the U15 division:
The atmosphere was charged with excitement, not just from the competition but also from the sense of community among the participating schools. Overall, the NESSIC Badminton Tournament was not only a platform for our players to showcase their talents but also a fantastic opportunity for personal growth and camaraderie.
As a special highlight, our athletes had the unique opportunity to meet Marlon Devonish, a celebrated Olympic athlete who won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 meters relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. His presence at the conference inspired our students and added a touch of Olympic spirit to their experience.
The Network for Enriching Students and Schools in China （NESSIC） is a new, non-profit, Beijing-based association of bilingual schools, of which SUIS Qingpu proudly stands as one of the eight founding members. NESSIC’s main purposes are: to provide member schools with high-quality professional development opportunities for leaders, teachers and staff；to share information and experiences among member schools；and to provide students with both academic, sports and arts-related enrichment activities. The NESSIC Badminton Tournament coincided with NESSIC’s inaugural Leadership Conference.
As NESSIC has already planned for future U15 and U19 competitions in a range of sports, including basketball, soccer and volleyball, we are at the same time both incredibly proud of our athletes and looking forward to many more adventures in the future.