Courting a deeper connection

At the same time, Hui, who is an associate professor at the Nanjing Normal University, has gained her PhD in sports sociology, focusing her research on the development and reform of China's professional volleyball system.

This academic experience offered her a deeper understanding of how volleyball can evolve, not just as a sport, but also as a contributor to social and economic development.

By 2024, VAL had already become a large domestic platform for grassroots players, with over 20 regional qualifiers attracting dozens of teams and a major national finals competition in Xiamen.

Hui began to envision a broader mission: to unite more people through the shared love of volleyball. VAL, she believed, should be a fair and open platform, regardless of one's background or profession — anyone who loves the game should have the chance to take part.

Hui recalled that clips of previous matches on social media had caught the attention of overseas volleyball enthusiasts who began reaching out with interest.

Viewers' commented: "What is this tournament? How can we join?" This sparked a new idea: why not make VAL an international affair?

This year, Hui made that idea a reality, taking the tournament overseas.

VAL 2025 started with domestic regional qualifiers — the top four teams from each domestic region advanced to the Xiamen finals. For overseas teams, participation was based on open registration.