In collaboration with the HKIS Athletic Council, the CDNIS Athletic Council organized a remarkable volleyball event called “THE GAME”, also known as “Friday Night Lights”. “THE GAME” took place on October 27th, at HKIS, where our U20 boys’ and girls’ teams engaged in two friendly matches against the HKIS teams. This event aimed to create an amicable yet competitive athletic spirit between the two schools. Students gathered together to cheer for the players as they went head to head on the court. It was great to see the overwhelming support from CDNIS students who came out to watch the matches. Although both our boys’ and girls’ teams were unsuccessful, they didn’t go down easily and played with grit to the very last second.
“THE GAME” took months to organize, as a game of this size and scale was completely new to us. We took extra time to make sure everything ran smoothly, from arranging transportation for our students to the rundown of the evening. Since the game was going to be hosted at HKIS, we wanted to make sure that our volleyball teams had their friends and supporters there to cheer them on as well. So, we advertised “THE GAME” around CDNIS and ensured we could get as many students as possible to accompany us to HKIS.
When we entered HKIS, the Athletics Council members were all apprehensive; uncertainty loomed over us as we wondered if our student section would reflect the vibrant and supportive school spirit at CDNIS. Our role as council members was clear: to uplift spirits and encourage students to express their enthusiasm. We had posters made and spirit accessories distributed. As the CDNIS students rolled in, we began distributing our posters and red and white accessories, as well as putting face paint on our athletes and supporters.
To gain some insight from the players, we asked the U20 girls’ team co-captain, Chloe Zhao, what was going through her head when she found out that she and her team were playing in “THE GAME”. She said: “When we first learnt about “THE GAME”, we thought it would be an amazing opportunity to not only get our school to support us but also to watch us do what we love when playing against a rival school that is also extremely strong.”
When the game started, all the students were seated and ready to watch. The collective cheers and unwavering support stayed strong throughout the event, creating an atmosphere that motivated the players to give their all. This game served as a new learning experience for our players, driving them to keep practising together and to improve as a team. Our students, coaches and players all came together that evening and discovered a newfound sense of school spirit. 
