52∶41！July 1st, 5 pm, with the referee’s whistle, the Yidong team stood out from the 14 teams and became the champion of the 2nd “Village BA” and the 2nd Farmers’ Basketball Competition in Xujiahu Town, Yishui County.
Not only in Xujiahu, the spark of basketball has been sown in all 18 townships (streets) across the county. Farmers, teachers, workers, and self-employed people, full of enthusiasm, have come from the fields, schools, construction sites, and restaurants to fight for the honor of their hometown and their love.
From the simple basketball hoops set up in the former grain drying yards to the standardized plastic basketball courts now, the most obvious change brought by the 2nd “Village BA” in Yishui County is that the number of basketball courts in the villages has increased, and the standards have been improved.
At the basketball court in Yangjiachengzi Village of Mazhan Town, the brand-new plastic court, standard competition equipment, and comprehensive supporting facilities have lit up the rural community life. “Since the county held the ‘Village BA’, there have been more young people playing basketball in our village, and we have also spontaneously formed two basketball teams. Watching the games after meals has become a new habit for the villagers,” said Li Fa, the secretary of the Yangjiachengzi Party branch. “After visiting the villagers, we have convened several party branch meetings and village meetings, and finally decided to invest more than 300,000 yuan to build the basketball court.”
In Yishui County, the “Village BA” is no longer just a sports event, but a platform to showcase cultural charm. Villagers can not only enjoy the exciting matches, but also feel the strong cultural atmosphere.
The Yishui “Village BA” has showcased the spiritual outlook and striving qualities of the rural masses in the new era. It is an effective carrier of the nationwide fitness initiative, a snapshot of the achievements in rural revitalization, and a driving force for the vibrant progress of rural revitalization. The hosting of the “Village BA” has allowed the society to see the passionate and sincere rural areas, and has also made everyone feel the driving force for upward growth and the vitality of rural revitalization.
