The Rio 2016 gold medallist leads a grassroots movement bringing volleyball to everyday people
Hui Ruoqi has never seen retirement as the end of her volleyball journey. The former captain of China women’s national team, a Rio 2016 gold medallist and now a member of the FIVB Communications Commission, has made it her mission to bring the sport to more people in more places than ever before.
Former China captain Hui Ruoqi keeps leading the game by uniting local and international players through the Volleyball Amateur League.
In 2018, she founded the Volleyball Amateur League (VAL) in Xiamen with a simple objective to create a platform for people who love the game but have no pathway to the professional level. From teachers and doctors to students and software engineers, VAL has become a gathering ground for everyday players who train in their spare time and find belonging through sport.
Hundreds of amateur players come together to celebrate community and sport at a Volleyball Amateur League event.
Seven years on, the league has grown into a national platform spanning 28 cities with more than 30,000 participants. Its tiered competition format ensures fairness for all levels of play, while a series of city qualifiers and national finals maintains year-round excitement. In 2025, teams from Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam joined the competition, turning VAL into an international showcase for community volleyball.
Teams compete during the 2025 Volleyball Amateur League in Xiamen.
As the league has expanded, so has its community impact. Hui’s personal foundation launched the “Hundred Cities, Hundred Matches” initiative, building courts in remote areas, hosting free training camps and inviting retired athletes to serve as mentors. One of the first courts was built in Chaodeng Mongolian township in Heilongjiang, where Hui once played in minus-30 degrees with local children. For many of them, it became their favourite place to gather after school.
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The stories emerging from VAL show how volleyball can shape lives in meaningful ways. One example is Gao Dayi, a mathematics teacher from Heilongjiang who has spent nearly two decades coaching students in his spare time. At a school in Chaodeng Mongolian township, he built a programme that introduced more than 200 children to the sport, with several going on to achieve elite recognition.
Hui Ruoqi with coach Gao Dayi in Heilongjiang, where they brought joy to local children through volleyball despite the winter chill.
Another powerful story is that of Long Xingyu, a university player whose passion for volleyball left a lasting impact. After his passing due to injury, VAL honoured his memory with the Xingyu Cup – a trophy shaped like his iconic spike and awarded annually in tribute.
The Xingyu Cup trophy, awarded annually in memory of player Long Xingyu.
Hui sees volleyball as a lifestyle, a cultural thread and a community connector.
“There’s only one champion on the court, but VAL ensures every enthusiast finds their own glory,” she said.
Students create a joyful tribute to Hui Ruoqi on a new community court built through her “Hundred Cities, Hundred Matches” initiative.
With each new court, each participant inspired, and each match played, her vision continues to unfold. Volleyball, in her hands, is a sport that unites people across communities and generations.
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