6.21.2023 2023 ACVB Xiaolan Cup Volleyball Tournament

Exciting Moments of the Tournament

On June 10th, in the sunny and pleasant weather of the Greater Washington, D.C. area, fifteen Chinese volleyball teams from different regions arrived at the Junior Volleyball Center in Jessup, Maryland, for the annual Chinese Volleyball Tournament, known as the Xiaolan Cup. Most of these teams came from Maryland and Virginia, surrounding the Greater Washington, D.C. area, but there were also old friends who traveled from New Jersey and Ohio. Just like the previous year, the tournament was divided into three categories: Men's Over 40, Men's Under 40, and Co-Ed (no age restrictions). In order to promote volleyball development and raise the level of the competition, each team was allowed to have one non-Chinese player on the court. The teams consisted of seasoned veterans in their late 60s, energetic high school and college students, and the youngest player, Michael, who was not even nine years old but showcased impressive skills in serving and spiking. The adult men's teams brought together tall and powerful players who were once semi-professional or amateur volleyball team key players. The mixed teams demonstrated great coordination, and the youth men's teams were especially notable for their powerful serves and spikes from the three-meter line. The continuous whistle sounds stirred the hearts of every participant. The joy of scoring and the regret of losing points lingered in the hearts of each player, weaving together the dreams of volleyball for every participant.

Ten Hours of Intense Competition

After twelve rounds of intense battles lasting nearly ten hours, the scores of each team were intertwined and difficult to separate. Many teams had to rely on calculating the tiebreaker scores to determine their rankings. In the end, the Co-Ed team Sooduan, led by Dr. Duan, clinched the Co-Ed championship, CCACC Smash as runner-up. In the Men's Under 40 Division, the crown was claimed by CCACC MoCo Warriors with the same win-loss record as the second-place Princeton Boosters from New Jersey. The winner was determined through tiebreaker calculations. In the Men's Over 40 Division, the championship went to Oakton Team from Virginia, with the Ironsmiths Team from Virginia finishing as the runners-up. It is worth noting that the CCACC not only partially sponsored the Xiaolan Cup in last few years but also actively organized multiple teams to participate in the tournament. The volleyball clinics at the CCACC, coached by Xiaolan, has been running for almost thirty years since 1995. Each semester, it attracts around 150 students, and together with the summer camp, it can be said to have cultivated a great number of talents in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

The Xiaolan Cup, renowned in the Washington Metropolitan Area

The predecessor of the annual Xiaolan Cup (ACVB & Xiaolan Cup) was the Asian Chinese Volleyball League (ACVB) which began in 1998. Over the years, it has been hosted in rotation by various locations such as North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Maryland. In 2008, it was renamed ACVB & Xiaolan Cup to express the love of numerous Chinese volleyball enthusiasts for former national team player Zhou Xiaolan. The "Xiaolan Cup" in the new name refers to Zhou Xiaolan, who was a key player in the Chinese women's volleyball team during the three consecutive years of Olympics and World championships in the 1980s. She was hailed as the "Great Wall of Tiananmen" and is an idol in the hearts of many volleyball enthusiasts.

With the exception of 2020 and 2021 when the tournament could not be held as scheduled due to the pandemic, the Xiaolan Cup has been held almost continuously for over twenty years. This event has not only promoted the enthusiasm for volleyball within the Chinese American community in the United States but has also attracted many foreign volleyball enthusiasts.

The pride of the Chinese volleyball community

Zhou Xiaolan is a well-known figure in the world of volleyball. When approaching the famous Zhou Xiaolan, one realizes how friendly and casual she is. One of the organizers, Tian Li, is also a volleyball enthusiast, and it is his humor, wisdom, and generosity that make the organizational work flow smoothly. On the day of the competition, the two of them arrived at the venue earlier than the athletes, taking care of various arrangements and proceedings. They hurriedly had a packed lunch and then busied themselves with calculating the team standings of the afternoon finals. Both of them, along with Li Rong from Veteran, have been participants since the first tournament and have never been absent. They are witnesses to the development of volleyball in North America. It is their hands-on approach and non-pursuit of vanity that bring everyone together. We are grateful for theirs and the volunteers' selfless dedication, which provides us overseas Chinese volleyball enthusiasts with a platform for communication. This day was particularly exciting, as the joy of playing volleyball occupied our entire mood. Life needs such moments to become more perfect. See you again at the Xiaolan Cup next June!

(Article by Li Tian)

Men's Under 40, champion CCACC MoCo Warriors (1st row) and runner-up Princeton Booster (back row).

Men's Over 40 Champion – Oakton, Virginia, with Zhou Xiaolan (back row left 4)

Co-Ed runner-up, CCACC Smash