(What would have been the) 2021 All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Volleyball Tournament ~Our Youth~

**(What would have been the) 2021 All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Volleyball Tournament ~Our Youth~** is a series of five posts revolving the All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Volleyball Tournament, published during 27-31 December 2021, which would have been the date for the 2021 All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Volleyball Tournament if it was not for The Suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It is a continuation of the Carmelian PopStars Advent Calendar, which ran between 2 and 26 December 2021.

## Part 1 - Raphael's Story

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYBs3eGvFKd/

Raphael lists a qualification record of Carmelian schools at the Jing Ying Tournaments during 2014-2018. He then stated that his sister's team played in the 2016 Tournament, and in 2017, she met Josie, and that in 2018, Mikael was there.

He then recounts his experience of facing YY2 on 28 December 2017, when they lost 16:25-23:25. Later in 2018, they faced LKPFC on 27 December and won 25:16-25:21. They then had a rematch with YY2, Mikael was there and cheered for Raphael and his teammates.

Raphael sometimes felt guilty because he couldn't meet Mikael's expactations on his team. However, Mikael told him that he has been through more matches where it had been so close, and told Raphael that it is most important that they learn, and that he will always be cheering for them.

Raphael remembers Mikael's words that he was counting on the CALFSS boys to defeat YY2 one day. And yet Raphael thinks it was too late, and if they won the match that day, they could have gone on, defeated SGSS and TIC and got a trophy.

## Part 2 - Rachel's Story

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYDEfBoP7nf/

Rachel recounts her experience of getting into the tournament in 2016, when she was a Form 1 student at CALFSS. Being the 1st-ranked team in Kwai Tsing District, the CALFSS girls volleyball team got qualified to the tournament for the first time since 2013, only to be defeated by TCCS 2-1 on 28 December 2016, which is CALFSS's first day of tournament as they had a bye to skip 27 December.

Rachel then talks about the 2017 Tournament, which was the year when her brother's team and the CHW girls got into the tournament as well. Unfortunately, CALFSS has to face CHW on 28 December. And yet, Rachel found a silver lining in this situation: it resulted in the start of a fabulous and wonderful friendship between her and Josefin Chung, known affectionately to her as Josie. Rachel says Josie was glad that CALFSS came in 2nd place, barely behind YWGS.

For 2018, Rachel talks about hearing Carmel's Cheerleader's presence at her team's last match on 28 December, and about how the Carmelian teams did in the tournament. For the first time in history, there were two Carmelian teams in the Top 4 of a Jing Ying Tournament. Unfortunately for her, the CALFSS girls failed to defeat HYS on 30 December, while Josie defeated CYTSS on the same day. Eventually, CALFSS came in 4th place while Josie and her team went on to be champions, and yet Rachel has always wanted to have a CALFSS-CHW grand final, so that the Top 2 are both Carmelian teams.

She was 13 years old when she first met a 14-year-old Josie. As of the creation of her post, she is in Form 6 while Josie is in university. At last, she hopes that the Tournament can be resumed one day.

## Parts 3 and 4 - Josefin's Story

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYGEEstvddl/

Josie first talks about the performance of the A-Grade of the CHW girls since she got admitted in 2015. She stated that they lost the chance to go to JY in 2015 and 2016 due to 1-2 losses at knockout matches. However, when 2017 comes, under the second year of Mr. Polam's coaching, they were able to break through and win the Tai Po District A-Grade champion title. Josie and her team then defeated Kei Chi on 27 December, but the next day, she lost to CALFSS. Josie expressed that she lost a match, but she also won her best Rachel.

They became a bridge between their teams, and they played friendly matches more often than before. Josie recounts that as the 2018 Tournament began, CHW and CALFSS did not have to face each other until the grand final, as their districts were seeded and they were champions of their own district. On the match days, Josie and Rachel cheered for each other. Josie could hear Rachel's distinctive voice when playing against SKHBBSS on 29 December, and returned the favor when Rachel played against DGS. At the end of that day, Tai Po and Kwai Tsing were confirmed to be the Top 2 seeded districts for the next edition, which meant they would not have to face until the grand final for the second time.

On 30 December, Josie and her team defeated CYTSS in a hard match, even though one of them was injured in the second set, leading to a loss in the set. Soon after her victory, however, she witnessed a sorrowful loss where Rachel and her team lost to HYS at a very close match. She cried out Rachel's name loud. And yet, Rachel comforted Josie:

"Josie. We almost won against YWGS last year. Finish what we started, would you? I'm counting on you to avenge us! Yes, you can!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYGKgD0vvSK/

And so thought Josie, "I am not only playing the Grand Final for myself and my team. It's for Rachel too. The CSS Boys as well. And for Carmel!"

Josie didn't want Rachel to cry like she did on 30 December. She was determined to be the first Carmelian to win the tournament. Nothing could stop her. Josie then recounts how the grand final went, and stated that Rachel knew Josie could. Upon winning the match, Josie became the first Carmelian Jing Ying Champion. Rachel still cried, but Josie knew the tears Rachel shed was of joy.

Josie can't believe her sweet dream was already three years ago, and wishes Jing Ying 2022 could be held.

## Part 5 - Towards 2022

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYJojXFPFQU/

This post is a recap of volleyball competitions in 2021, which only consisted of the 2021 VBAHK Youth Cup, in which the CALFSS boys, the CSS boys and the CSS girls participated. This post ended with a group photo of the 9 PopStars, with a quote:

"The season must resume and it will resume."