Empowering courage: a student's triumph in paddleboarding challenge

Recently, a story went viral on the Zhejiang University BBS about a student who attempted a challenge in a physical education class taught by world champion XU Yaping. The student successfully completed the challenge and earned a reward of 2,000 yuan. Let’s dive into the details.

Awakening of courage

This was the most challenging task set by XU Yaping in her “Paddleboarding (Beginner)” class.

For students trying kayaking for the first time, simply daring to sit in a kayak and maintaining balance for 3-5 seconds can earn them a 2000 yuan cash reward.

The kayak, designed for only one person, is slender and narrow—getting on it is already a significant test of balance and core strength. Among various types of boats, the kayak is the most challenging type, with an elongated hull that offers less stability and demands nearly perfect technique from the paddler.

Over the years, many students attempted the challenge but unfortunately failed. Just when everyone thought this was an impossible task, GAO Yixuan exceeded expectations by staying on for over 45 seconds, becoming the first person to succeed.

“I used to be someone who feared challenges. If the teacher hadn’t directly asked me, I probably wouldn’t have tried. But after taking that step, I realized how great it feels to try new things,” GAO Yixuan said. In previous paddleboarding classes, she had only been a spectator, but XU Yaping's encouragement helped her overcome her mental barriers step by step.

XU Yaping immediately honored her promise and transferred the money. “I was stunned, because I didnt expect it to be real,” GAO Yixuan said.

XU Yaping admitted she had some hesitation about using money as motivation. “At first, it was indeed a joke. I didn’t expect that students who were originally hesitant would come to try, so I had to keep my promise.”

At the class, students shared experiences and encouraged each other. Surprisingly, a boy who had already given up attempted again, inspired by GAO Yixuan. After reflecting his previous attempts, he finally succeeded on his third try.

Seeing her students succeed one after another, XU Yaping said, “whether we believe first and then see, or see first and then believe, these two are intertwined. When someone succeeds, it encourages more people to believe they can do it too.”

The thoughtful intent behind the challenge

As the Deputy Director of the China Water Sports Development Center at Zhejiang University and a former world champion in kayaking, XU Yaping hopes to promote the Olympic spirit of “mutual understanding, friendship, unity, and fair competition” as well as the maritime culture of “courage, exploration, adventure, and innovation” to more students.

“I've taught many classes and talked countless times about courage and challenges, but I find that our students still hold back. But the worst consequence is just falling into the water once. Why not take the plunge when there’s no real loss involved?” XU said.

This is exactly the thoughtful intent behind XU Yaping's challenge, using cash as an incentive to encourage students to shout out I can do it.

The kayak challenge sparked enthusiasm among everyone, leading many students to propose the creation of the Yaping Courage Fund to support future challenges. They suggested rewards such as souvenirs, books, or photos to inspire more people to break their limits and take risks.

Sparks of educational innovation

This isn’t XU Yaping's first attempt at innovation in teaching. “Teaching students the course content isn't difficult. The challenge is guiding them to develop a lifelong habit of exercise,” XU said.

To achieve her teaching goals, XU encourages students to integrate their majors with sports. For example, students majoring in automation can explore how to use autonomous technology to ensure safety in water sports, while those in medicine can analyze the impact of exercise on the human body, prompting interdisciplinary thinking.

“Sports involve not just skill acquisition, but also a blend of culture, history, and science,” XU emphasized.

Additionally, she has organized competitions between students from Chinese and international universities, enriching learning experiences and broadening horizons through cross-cultural practice.

YAN Tianrun, a former member of the Zhejiang University Rowing Team, was encouraged by XU to leverage his rich experiences in sports and volunteering, successfully becoming a volunteer at the Paris Olympic kayaking venue, experiencing the Games firsthand in France.

"XU is very approachable and has a great relationship with students. Besides training, she takes time to understand our life plans and offers a lot of guidance," YAN said.

This diverse teaching approach not only helps students learn skills but also cultivates resilience and innovation through challenges.

"You must dare to face failure," XU emphasizes in her classes. Every attempt and failure by students is a step toward becoming stronger.

She stresses that the ultimate goal of sports is to nurture a person’s ability to face difficulties without retreating, to confront failure without fear, and to continually draw energy from those experiences.

"Don't be afraid; don’t fear anything." This is what XU Yaping strives to convey to all her students. This seemingly simple classroom challenge embodies her endless expectations and encouragement for them.

Adapted and translated from the article written by ZHU Yiming

Translator: JIANG Sijia（27’ Accounting）
Photo: the interviewees

Editor: HAN Xiao (25' Education), TIAN Minjie