Behind the sand, beyond the classroom

Beach volleyball officially kicked off on Monday, 21 July at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. While the spotlight was on the athletes battling it out on the sand at Sportpark Duisburg, a dedicated team in blue worked quietly behind the scenes.

Among them were university students serving as part of the Technical Officials team, taking on key roles like scoring and line judging. Their blue uniforms may look identical, but their stories—and their studies—couldn’t be more different.

Emily Engler, a 22-year-old law student from Germany, sits behind the referee table, focused and composed. She first discovered beach volleyball online and started volunteering at the national “Drum Beach Tour”. Through experience and connections, she was invited to work at international events, including the Elite 16 Tour and now the FISU Games.

“I study law, and in a way, both law and volleyball follow rules — that’s where I see the connection,” she said. She jokingly calls it “a very fancy hobby”, balancing flashcards and study breaks between matches.

Engler dreams of becoming a prosecutor someday—or perhaps pursuing a Master’s in sports law in Spain.

Tim Neumann, 24, is a dentistry student based in Witten, about 50 kilometres east of Duisburg. Though new to international competitions, he’s approached the scorer role with a steady focus and willingness to learn. His journey started with a simple recommendation from a friend—his former volleyball coach, who now referees in Germany’s national leagues.

“People think we’re just clicking buttons, but it’s more than that,” Neumann explained. “We track everything from coin toss outcomes to timeouts and jersey numbers. The scoring software can be tricky, and there’s a lot to get right.”

Off the court, he sees unexpected parallels between dentistry and officiating—both require precision, hand coordination, and staying calm under pressure.

Another law student,, 23-year-old Zelio Mendes from France, stands out as one of the few non-German officials on the team. Studying at Paris Panthéon-Assas University, he is also a certified national volleyball referee who has officiated at high-level events, including the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 and last year’s Paris 2024 Olympics.

“The job isn’t just about ‘in’ or ‘out’—we clean lines, spot block touches, and keep the game flowing,” he said. “Law and refereeing are more alike than you’d think. Both require knowing the rules—but also knowing how to apply them fairly in complex situations.”

Despite long days and tired feet, Zelio’s passion for the sport keeps him motivated. “When I see a beautiful rally and I’m part of the match—that moment reminds me why I do this.”

At Rhine-Ruhr 2025, these students prove that sporting excellence isn’t limited to athletes alone. While the crowd watches the ball fly across the net, it’s these young officials who make sure the game runs smoothly—and who learn just as much from the experience as they give.

And in their matching blue shirts and sandy shoes, they remind us that not all stars of the FISU Games stand on podiums. Some sit courtside, whistle in hand, quietly helping the event come to life.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Soyoung Bang, FISU Young Reporter, Korea

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which provides remarkable uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continued to provide its support during the postponement of events due to the global pandemic, and recently extended the relationship with FISU up to and including 2025.