Newsletter No. 371

8 No. 371, 19.1.2011 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問劉允怡教授 Prof. Joseph W.Y. Lau will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming 張萍 Zhang Ping 1 若可再選，會否仍走上打排球這路？ Would you choose volleyball if you had a second chance? 我仍會選擇排球，因為排球不單為我帶來成就，還給我 很多好朋友。我很珍惜與隊友的十多年情誼，大家一起 經歷了很多─勝利、失敗、開心、痛苦，彼此安慰、互 相勉勵，是一種難以用語言表達的親密關係。 Sure! Volleyball has brought me not only success but also friends, many friends. I treasure the long-standing friendship with my teammates. We shared moments of victory, failure, happiness and sadness together. We comforted and encouraged each other. It’s a relationship that’s intimate beyond words. 2 如何形容自己與排球的關係？ How would you describe your relationship with volleyball? 因為是全職運動員，打球成績會正接影響我的心情，開 心與不開心，都是被排球牽動着。打得好，贏了比賽，會 非常開心；相反如果輸了，會非常不開心。 As a full-time athlete, results have a direct impact on my emotions. When we perform well, when we win, I’m ecstatic. When we lose, the opposite happens. 3 為何選擇中大？ Why did you choose CUHK? 我唸到初中二年級，便當上全職運動員，退役後想繼續 讀書。其實媽媽反對我到外地升學，因為那麼多年都是 走來走去，好不容易退役了，不用再在外面漂泊，可以回 到他們身邊待久一點。我就跟他們說，給我數年時間，上 上學，我亦想學好一點英文，這樣吧，我不去外國，成不 成？去香港，跟你們近一點吧﹗另外，因為想修讀體育科 學，中大的體育運動學是香港最早成立的，比較有名。 I had been a full-time athlete after completing Secondary 2. I wanted to continue my studies after retirement. My mother was actually opposed to the idea of me studying somewhere far away from home as I had been away for a long time. She wanted me to stay with them a while longer. But I insisted on pursuing my studies and improving my English. We compromised and I agreed to choose Hong Kong rather than somewhere overseas. The Sports Science and Physical Education Programme at CUHK is reputable as it was the earliest such programme in Hong Kong. 4 背景與年齡跟本地學生不同，相處有否困難？ Given the difference in age and background between you and the local students, do you have difficulty getting along with them? 來港第一年有點困難。我一直以為香港跟內地的文化 差不多，後來才發現是大相逕庭。內地人不管是南方北 方，都會看同一電視台，有共同的話題、笑話，在這裏跟 同學一起聊天，他們說某些笑話，笑得人仰馬翻，我聽 不懂，即使他們樂意向我解釋，但文化不同，聽後也笑 不出來，就覺得自己是一個異類。 It was a bit difficult in the first year. I thought the culture here was similar to that on the mainland. Was I wrong! On the mainland, we watch the same television channels no matter where you come from, so we have common topics. Here sometimes my classmates would fall over laughing over some joke I couldn’t understand. I did not find that funny even after they explained it to me. It’s a cultural difference. I felt like an alien. 5 最大挑戰是甚麼？ What has been your biggest challenge? 初時對自己非常沒有信心，因為初中已停學，現在重拾 書本，真是應付不來。第一年修讀統計學，教授用廣東 話授課，同學在旁邊睡覺，忽然教授說要來一個小測 驗，並說若有聽課的，應該會懂。雖然我不明白他說甚 麼，但心想，應該應付得到吧。但拿到卷子，哎吔﹗題目 是英文的﹗看不懂﹗旁邊的同學卻答完了。我心裏很不 舒服，我也有聽課，為甚麽我一點也不明白，人家在睡 覺卻可以完卷﹗很沮喪。 此外，以往都是集體活動的，現在甚麼都是一個人，也 很不習慣。幸好後來有很多同學幫忙，加上教授鼓勵我 多提問，又很願意解說，慢慢便渡過了難關。 I didn’t have much confidence at the beginning. I was worried that I couldn’t cope with the demanding workload because I had put studies aside since junior secondary school. In the Year 1 statistics class, the professor taught in Cantonese. It was hard. I tried my best to listen while noticing that one of my local classmates fell asleep in class. Then the professor gave us a sudden quiz, assuring us that we would be able to do it as long as we had listened to him in class. I thought I could handle it until I saw the quiz paper. The questions were all in English. I couldn’t understand a word! But the sleeping classmate didn’t seem to have a problem at all. I was distressed. I worked hard but got nothing. The classmate fell asleep but finished the paper. It was upsetting. Moreover, I used to do everything in a group, with my teammates, but at CUHK, I had to plan my own schedule. I wasn’t used to it, but luckily, my schoolmates helped me and professors encouraged me to ask questions. They explained patiently, and I managed to overcome this difficult time. 6 排球訓練及讀書生活，兩者有何異同？ How would you compare volleyball training to studying? 兩者都要用腦、都很累。比賽時要在最短的時間作正 確判斷，一點不易。在高水平比賽，事前要分析對手各 運動員曾出席甚麼比賽、有甚麼特點。對方準備發球， 我們已估計她會發往哪裏，身體已準備好如何走位，腦 子不停轉動。兩小時的比賽，較七八個小時的訓練更 累。至於讀書，同樣要有策略，要用腦、要知道哪部分是 重點。不同之處是以前很有紀律，甚麼時間起床、吃 飯、訓練、休息，全有專人安排了，現在則自己作主，自由 多了。 Both are brain racking. We need to make split-second decisions during a volleyball match. Before the competition, especially in high-level games, we have to analyse the experience and style of each member of the opponent team. During the competition, when the opponent serves the ball, we have to predict where it will go, think of the strategy we have to adopt and prepare for the next move. That is why a two-hour game is a lot more exhausting than a seven- or eight-hour training session. The same goes for studying. You need strategy and focus. For differences, I used to live a disciplined life with rigid schedules arranged by special personnel. Now it’s all up to me. I feel a lot freer. 7 本地運動員的訓練，跟內地有何差別？ What’s the difference in the style of athletic training between Hong Kong and the mainland? 內地的訓練體制系統全面，若在比賽中有一定成績，國 家會提供生活保障，讓你可以專心練習。在這裏，如小 孩子喜歡某項運動，多數只是在上課以外參加興趣班 玩玩，甚至說不上是訓練，只能算是活動。 The training is more systemic on the mainland. The government will provide living allowance for athletes who attain good results so that they can concentrate on their training. Here, most parents will only let their children join extracurricular sports classes even if the youngsters are fond of sports. You can’t call it training; it’s a leisure activity. 8 課餘有甚麼活動？ What do you do other than study? 我會當義工，如探訪獨居老人，12月去柬埔寨做義工。因 為過往得到很多球迷和社會人士支持，現在便會想可以 如何回饋社會，例如關心基層人士、鼓勵失意的人，或 者像我般想讀書卻又沒有信心的人。 I pay voluntary visits to seniors living alone. I went to Cambodia to do voluntary work last December. In the past I enjoyed support from fans and the community; now it is time to give back. I can serve members of the grassroots and encourage people who have lost hope or who, like me, want to study but do not have the confidence for it. 9 你認為自己是甚麼性格？ How would you describe your personality? 算是比較外向罷﹗但要獨個兒看書，也還是可以的。小 時候一個人待在家，要找人打架也沒有，玩的只是剪紙 等個人活動，所以很喜歡排球隊的集體訓練。 I am quite outgoing. But I can read alone. When I was young, I always stayed at home; I couldn’t even find someone to have a fight with. All I did for amusement was Chinese paper-cutting, a solitary activity. That’s why I really loved volleyball; it’s a team activity. 10 未來有甚麼計劃？ Any plans for the future? 現在還未說定畢業後會返內地發展或是留港，要看看 職場的需要，所學的跟人家要求的是否能配合，但希望 將來可幫助喜歡運動的人，在鍛練時保持正確姿勢避 免受傷。 It is hard to say at this moment. Maybe I’ll stay here or start my career on the mainland. It all depends on the market. I hope to help those fond of sports to maintain correct postures during training and avoid injury. 體育運動科學系二年級 前中國女排隊員、2004年雅典奧運金牌選手 Year 2, Sports Science and Physical Education Former member of the Chinese women’s volleyball team and gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics