Life lessons from pickleball champ and UNI professor Huishan Wan
Life lessons from pickleball champ and UNI professor Huishan Wan
One University of Northern Iowa professor’s latest achievement has nothing to do with academics. Rather, it has to do with a hobby. On Jan. 29, Huishan Wan, an associate professor of accounting, became the Iowa Games Pickleball Men's Singles champion for his age group.
“I thought I’d just go there and play for fun,” said Wan, who has been teaching at UNI for about seven years. “I didn’t expect to win. I just wanted to play the games and finish.”
When he entered the tournament, Wan thought his chances of winning were slim given how the age groups were divided. He is 49, putting him at the very end of the 35-49 age bracket. But skill and strategy were ultimately on his side, as he walked away with a medal.
“I try my best to excel and to be excellent,” he said. “I think I'm a perfectionist. Everything I do — I want to do my best.”
While pickleball originated in 1965, the game has rapidly increased in popularity in recent years. Wan describes the sport as a combination of tennis, badminton and table tennis. In fact, he first became interested in pickleball based on the suggestion of his table tennis partner. He’s been playing table tennis for about 30 years.
“Pickleball is an interesting sport that can be played by both old and young,” he said. “A 10-year-old can play it, and an 80- or 90-year-old can play it as well. It’s kind of a mild game where it’s not easy for people to get injured or hurt. It’s good for many people to play.”
Wan didn’t do anything special to prepare for the tournament. He just continued playing twice a week as usual. In the final game of the singles tournament, he won 11 to 2.
“I was thrilled I got gold,” he said. “I would never expect that.”
Wan shares his love of pickleball with his students. Last semester, a student asked if he would be the faculty advisor for the new pickleball club they are starting at UNI. Wan was happy to oblige.
“I want to get involved and promote pickleball,” he said. “It is good for students to play some pickleball with heavy school work.”
The club is still getting off the ground.
Wan doesn’t just enjoy playing pickleball. He also enjoys watching it, which has provided some life lessons. Wan is especially impressed by a professional pickleball game where a team that was losing 1 to 10 came back to win.
“I asked my students if they were losing the tournament, how would they face that situation,” he said. “I told them to never give up. The game is not done, so you should play your best until the game is done.”
Wan shared this story with a group of students who were concerned about their grades and considering dropping his class. He used the story to illustrate what can happen when you work hard and don’t give up. In the end, each of those students passed his class and he congratulated them for their hard work and perseverance.
“I like to share those kinds of events with students and encourage them,” he said. “Life is not easy. There are many difficulties in life. But how do you face difficulties? How do you react to the obstacles?”
Wan is undecided if he’s going to play in the Iowa Games summer tournament in Ames to try to defend his title.
Aside from pickleball and table tennis, Wan is also passionate about photography, being active in his church and reading books across many genres.
“Life is not just one thing,” said Wan. “Hobbies and interests are part of life. It’s part of you. You need to have a balanced life to live a better life. If you just work, you’ll be exhausted. Hobbies and interests can get you outside of your circle and give you ideas or inspiration, stimulation from outside of your discipline that can help your work. So I think having hobbies and interests is important.”
Just as Wan knows there is more to his own life than accounting, he wants his students to know he sees them as more than just students.
“I like to interact with students and see them grow, not just academically, but to be a person — a whole person,” he said. “I want them to have a good life and have a good character. Of course, I teach them accounting, but I hope they remember what I teach them in class that they can use in the future for their jobs. I also want them to remember that I always encourage them to work hard, never give up, be positive in life and become a blessing for others.”
