Softball matches of the first National Youth Games kicked off in Pingtan on Oct 18.

The events had a great turnout, with more than 4,000 spectators crowded into the brand-new stadium to watch scrambling for victory.

The athletes brought their A games to the field to make things entertaining. But the work and service of staffers cannot be neglected.

There are ten caddies by the field, all selected from a local softball association, responsible for fetching and cleaning balls. Xue Sijie from Hanying Middle School said it is an honor to be a caddie, as he can watch the games closely, learn skills and talk to the great players.

The ritual ladies are among those who arrive at the stadium earliest every day, as they have to put on costume and makeup, and practice smiling before work – most of which is to stand in strong winds to greet visitors.

“It is a little bit chilly. But our passion never fades,” said Chen Si, one of the Miss Etiquettes.

Security guards are early birds, too. They begin work at 6 o’clock every day performing thorough checks on personnel, their belongings and vehicles at different entrances of the stadiums.

Organizers also opened a medical room inside the stadium. There is a doctor, nurse and a pharmacist with a full set of medicine. Two ambulances are parked outside the stadium in case of emergency.

“To guarantee safety of all personnel we’ve prepared 13 types of medicine and common medical equipment. It is like a mini hospital here,” said Chen Ruizhu, a senior nurse with a local hospital.