Youth has dreams, the court has no boundaries - A side note on the 4th "JianTou Cup" employee basketball tournament

7 In the spring city, Kunming University of Science and Technology's gymnasium was filled with excitement and cheers as the fourth "JianTou Cup" employee basketball tournament kicked off. The 10-day event, concluded with fireworks and the lingering melody of "The Ambition Is in My Chest," left a lasting impression.

10 Over 10 days, across six courts, 221 games were played, involving 62 units, 73 teams, and over 1000 athletes. This youthful energy swept across the land, bringing together thousands of JianTou employees from their usual work in steel and concrete to share in this unique and exciting high-level sporting event. Each jump, sprint, and score told a story of youthful competition and perseverance, inspiring every JianTou employee to surpass themselves both on and off the court.

Youthful Competition, Never Give Up

28 15 meters long and 15 meters wide, a standard basketball court, not only holds memories of hard-fought battles and unwavering perseverance, but also embodies the spirit of overcoming challenges and teamwork.

▲High-altitude oxygen chamber basketball court at the Julong Copper Mine project

We saw passion. At an altitude of 4100 meters, the high-altitude oxygen chamber basketball court is where Yang Shaohui and Zhou Shizun, two basketball-loving employees from the Julong Copper Mine project in Mozhukongka County, Tibet, found joy. Maintaining their passion, they journeyed to the mountains and seas. The "JianTou Cup" is a stage for ordinary young people from different positions who share a love for sports, pursuing their dreams. From the roof of the world in Tibet to the majestic mountains of Zhaotong, from Wenshan, the land of Sanqi, to the Hani rice terraces of Honghe, from the spring city of Kunming to the magnificent Nujiang Gorge... thousands of JianTou employees gathered together, demonstrating the unity and hard work of JianTou people, and witnessing the glory and dreams of competitive sports.

We saw breakthroughs. Veterans continued their glorious legends, while newcomers created a youthful storm. Traditional strong teams proved their strength with victory after victory; the dynamic "double guns" of Yuntie and the youthful energy of the Tenth Company showcased the talent and vitality of JianTou's youth; the dark horses from Honghe and Wenshan emerged, reminding us not to underestimate a champion's heart; the youth of An'er and the Sixth Company interpreted basketball as a team sport; the narrow victory of the Property Management Company and the China Aviation Company men's team, the free throw buzzer-beater by the Municipal Road and Bridge women's team, and the last-second shot by the Fifteenth Company, showed us the charm of competitive sports—never give up until the very last moment.

We saw warmth. When emotions surged, every movement and every tear was the most genuine expression of JianTou people's feelings. We saw tears of joy and frustration; we saw Zhe Jingxin from the Xi'an Jiaotong Company play despite illness after surgery; we saw Zheng Hejun from the Second Company and Shao Ben'an from the Fourth Company lose 20kg and 15kg respectively after last year's competition; we saw many players like Wang Ze Xi from the First Company playing through injuries. We heard the cheers of the diverse crowd, their voices hoarse with encouragement; we saw opponents fiercely competing on the court, yet embracing and congratulating each other afterward—all conveying genuine strength.

We saw resilience. "We won! We won!" The Ninth Company women's team embraced and wept. While the players celebrated their victory, a retired female employee sat on the ground behind the scoreboard, sharing the players' feelings, savoring the bittersweet victory. She was once a member of the Ninth Company women's basketball team, and she drove over 40 kilometers every day to support her team during the tournament. The game between the Ninth Company and the Chengxiang Investment women's teams remained unchanged for over 7 minutes, ending in a 10-10 tie with 32.2 seconds left. The sidelines were packed with spectators, and the final moments were intense. The Ninth Company's narrow victory erupted in applause, cheers, and shouts. This was a microcosm of the "JianTou Cup." In 221 games, various experts competed fiercely, with narrow victories, tense stalemates, and individual performances of 45 points. The referees and technical staff exclaimed: This was an exciting and passionate sporting event.

We saw dedication. The peak duel between the Fifth and Second Company men's basketball teams was thrilling. When behind, Huang Haiyang of the Second Company hit a three-pointer, closing the 14-point gap. In the final moments, Liu Jian of the Fifth Company hit a three-pointer, widening the gap again to 14 points. The Fifth Company held on to win again. Success doesn't come easily; the hardships and joys are known only to those who strive for it. Victory isn't easily obtained, but some things are worth fighting for, even if it means facing hardship and challenges.

We saw even more. Victory is joyful, defeat is graceful, but the spirit of competition is more important than the outcome. Congratulations to the winning teams, and thanks to every team, every player, and every staff member for their dedication in creating such a wonderful sporting event. We also acknowledge the efforts of other teams who fought bravely and showed their spirit. The newly formed teams from Nujiang, Wenshan, and Honghe, participating in the "JianTou Cup" for the first time, showed considerable strength. We believe they will strive for greater breakthroughs in the next "JianTou Cup." As Harper Lee wrote in "To Kill a Mockingbird," courage is when you know you'll lose before you begin, but you do it anyway. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Even if I am small, I will rise to meet and challenge, and this is the energy the "JianTou Cup" gives us.

The "JianTou Cup" has come to an end. The 10 days were beautiful and fleeting, and these memories will remain with every player and participant. The event may end, but the pursuit of dreams continues. The passion and dreams that the "JianTou Cup" brought to every player and participant will never fade.

The Shadow Before, The Light Behind

At the "JianTou Cup" games, we also noticed those rays of light.

We saw the players cross mountains and rivers, and witnessed the behind-the-scenes staff covered in dust. Those smiles and tears, bitterness and pain, cheers and calls, joys and sorrows, those late nights working under the lights, those journeys through wind and rain, those marks of cooperation and conflict...

You are the shadow in front, and you are also the light behind.

Without experiencing it, one cannot understand its ways; without doing it, one cannot know its difficulties. The game data in the on-site office, the dense technical statistics left on the papers, the lights in the office at midnight, the lunch boxes eaten in a hurry, the heated discussions on work plans, the meticulous analysis of game details and processes... these are moments they cannot forget. From the opening ceremony, the formal matches, to the closing ceremony and award ceremony, from the venue and athletes to the etiquette, referees, security, band, cheerleaders and event publicity, more than 200 staff members fought together, persevered together, and jointly achieved each and every game.

The night before the opening and closing ceremonies was another late night. The meeting room of the event organizing committee was brightly lit, with the sounds of keyboard typing, telephone conversations, and meeting discussions rising and falling. Organizing a sporting event involving more than 1,000 athletes and more than 3,000 spectators in such a short time put immense pressure on every staff member, fearing that any link in the chain might break. Meticulous on-site inspections and rehearsals, processes, materials, publicity, catering, safety, hygiene and other aspects of work were all implemented, ultimately ensuring the smooth running of the event.

“Training was hard, but seeing so many basketball players deliver such wonderful games made me very excited and relieved.” 16-year-old Xu Yunhang is a student in the welding and processing major at JianTou Technical School. As a cheerleader, he participated in the opening and closing ceremonies and daily volunteer work for this "JianTou Cup." The other 16 young people from the technical school, like him, are students in construction, welding, electrical, and crane operation majors. After the competition, they will return to school to prepare for their future work on various construction projects. The cheerleading team, composed of members from Jitou, Xi Jiao, and the Provincial Water Company, also trained for a month. Before that, they were materialists, toll collectors, etc., on the Wenshan project and various expressway projects, but they all took on dual roles for the event preparation. The neat formations, precise movements, and visually stunning team formations and shapes showed the best level of training from each member. They showcased the power and beauty of the blend of architecture and dance at the opening and closing ceremonies.

Before the troops move, the supplies must be prepared. To ensure the smooth progress of the event, the comprehensive coordination group showed great care, sometimes running between two venues for a single meal, providing an average of 150 meals daily, and paying close attention to details such as the combination of dishes, nutritional balance, and fruit snacks. In the comprehensive coordination position, they work together seamlessly, distributing ribbons, transporting drinking water... their busy figures are everywhere.

“Quick, quick, quick! The scores of these two teams are the same; we need to compare the net points difference and the results of their matches against each other to determine the qualifying teams.” The phone in the event organizing group was almost constantly ringing during the competition. As non-professional event staff, they not only temporarily learned and consolidated relevant professional knowledge of basketball events, but also ran between the technical tables and scoreboards of various matches. The previous event was the first competition after the resumption of the "JianTou Cup" following the epidemic, and everyone's strength was generally unknown. This year, the event organizing group divided the participating teams into several groups based on the rankings and technical levels of various teams in the previous event, enhancing fair competition within each group and improving the sense of participation and experience for all participating teams and players. The intensive schedule and multiple simultaneous matches posed significant challenges to the already stretched staff. Temporary venue changes and changes in qualifying teams were overcome one by one, and the connection between matches was orderly.

Words and images are the starting point of empathy. The publicity team, using cameras and pens, told the story of every effort and every drop of sweat from the players and staff. In 10 days, 10 camera positions, 9 videos, 14 game reviews, more than 25,000 words, 36 tweets, 3.7 TB of video material and tens of thousands of photos were produced. The number of views, forwards, and likes on the video account was nearly 400,000, and the number of views, forwards, and likes on the public account exceeded 60,000. The female members of the publicity team also worked alongside the male cameramen, using light and shadow to record every memorable moment. In addition, this year, the publicity team's first attempt to focus on the game from the audience's perspective created ripples in the "JianTou Cup" event.

More than 200 security personnel accompanied the sunrise and sunset every day, occasionally experiencing the rain in Kunming described by Mr. Wang Zengqi. Hundreds of cars rushing to the opening and closing ceremonies, and the occasional tension in the stadium, all dissipated under their strong and sturdy figures.

“This time, we also participated with new uniforms and a new look.” said Zhai Jie, manager of the property management office of Development Building. The 15 members of the "JianTou Cup" etiquette team were responsible for providing services at the opening and closing ceremonies, award ceremonies, VIP rooms, and the chairman's platform.

The bands, flag teams, and drum teams for the opening and closing ceremonies also trained meticulously for a long time for this event. When others were resting, they were still enthusiastically discussing the arrangement of movements... These details are also a sign of the year-on-year improvement in the level of the event.

It was not the Tower of Babel built by the Babylonians, nor was it the rock that Sisyphus pushed up the hill again and again, but every contribution and every effort emitted a faint light. Such work may not be seen by most people, but it is because of their silent efforts behind the scenes that the entire competition was able to proceed smoothly and orderly.

There are always winners and losers in a competition, but the charm of competitive sports is not limited to results. Making friends through sports, conveying emotions through competition, it's not always about victory or defeat, like heaven and earth, just let it be. After many years, when we reach the depths of the wheel of time, we will eventually see that person, that thing, that event still blooming brilliantly.

Passion shines in summer, accumulating strength for autumn's harvest. With unrestrained cheers and passionate struggles, people tell the story of these days dedicated to basketball, the passionate look, the youthful look. After the grand event, the true heroes on and off the court will once again embark on their own life's journey, writing their own dreams and stories.