Written by CAPA-JRC reporter Justin Jiang
On November 25 and 26, the Chinese American Parents Association (CAPA) Run and Hit Tennis Club (RHTC) and the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) hosted their second annual Family Doubles Thanksgiving Tennis Tournament. This tournament acted to increase physical activity and health, help families bond with one another, and most importantly, let everyone have fun and enjoy the sport of tennis.
As the second Thanksgiving tennis tournament, it attracted increased attention compared to the first, and many more people signed up to play. Ultimately, 24 teams were chosen to play. On the first day, the 24 teams were split into six groups of four. Each team in a group played all the others in their group and the six winners of their respective groups moved on to the next round. The two second-place teams with the most points also moved onwards to the next round.
On the second day, the remaining eight teams played an elimination-styled tournament where if a team lost, they were out.
The finalists were Ashton Yang and his dad, Chengfu Yang, against Jiajing Zheng and Zongyu Zheng. The match was intense and filled with ups and downs. Finally, it all came down to a ten-point tiebreaker which Jiajing Zheng and Zongyu Zheng managed to take, earning first place.
Group photo of the finalists before the final match. (Photo credits: Fengkai Zhang)
One purpose of the tournament was to build stronger connections with each other especially during Thanksgiving, a holiday traditionally celebrated by family reunions. One parent, Chengfu Yang, said his favorite part was not the wins or losses, but rather “interacting with [his] son Ashton.” In a separate interview, Ashton also stated how one of his favorite things about the tournament was being able to “[play] with his dad.” This goes on to show the positive impact of the tournament on families and parent-child relationships.
Throughout the tournament, spectators could hear parents and children talking over strategy and urging each other on. The tournament allowed families to have a great time together while also playing a competitive sport.
Another purpose of the tournament was to promote health and fitness in the Chinese community in times where kids are always on their phones or in front of screens, which Fengkai Zhang, the club mentor of RHTC, said. Zhang considered the tournament a big success in achieving its goals, especially when he “received many warming thanks messages” regarding the tournament.
As the tournament was considered a huge success, the RHTC along with the CCACC are planning on hosting the tournament again next year. Chengfu Yang plans to have his sons play together next year, instead of himself, to let them “compete and have fun at the same time.”
Matches in play on the first day. (Photo credits: Fengkai Zhang)
This article was provided by the Chinese American Parents Association Junior Reporter Club (CAPA JRC) with members who interviewed, audio recorded, wrote, translated, and video recorded. CAPA JRC has 25 Montgomery County middle to high school students. They have created a bilingual platform delivering news and serving the community.
Instagram: @capa_jrc
Blog: https://capajrc.org