Small county in China's Shaanxi scores big with school football

A girls' football team from a middle school in Liuba, a small county deep in the Qinling Mountains in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, recently finished in 14th place in the national final of the U15 tournaments of the first China Youth Football League (CYFL) in Suzhou city, east China's Jiangsu Province.

This marks the first time that a middle school football team in a county has entered the national final.

The girls' football team of Liuba Middle School epitomizes the county's efforts to incorporate football into school education in recent years, which have broadened students' horizons and allowed them to embrace a greater future through football.

Thirteen years ago, Chen Jun, then principal of Liuba Middle School, decided to incorporate football into school education so as to improve students' overall qualities.

Back then, Liuba was a national-level poverty-stricken county that was home to about a dozen schools including Liuba Middle School, which all lacked football fields and coaches.

As a result, Chen decided to turn the school’s dirt playground into a football field. Zhang Suyang, a math teacher who previously played football for Shaanxi's youth team in the school, became a coach. The school purchased 200 football jerseys and 200 footballs for students who wanted to play football to develop their love of the sport.

Eventually, Liuba Middle school set up its first football team, consisting of 20 students who were determined to train every day, according to Chen.

In 2014, Liuba Middle School began organizing football classes and establish a boys' and girls' football team for each grade.

Li Dan, former chief coach of Shaanxi's women's youth team, was invited to work as the head coach of the school's high-level teams to prepare for competitions.

While improving the players’ skills, the school has ensured that football training sessions and competitions will not impact the students’ academic performance.

After years of efforts, the boys' and girls' football teams of Liuba Middle School have won championships in Shaanxi’s youth football leagues. Two alumni from the school, Shi Xiaomin and Zou Mengyao, were selected for the national team, and the school has nurtured nearly 300 first-class or second-class athletes at state level.

Apart from Liuba Middle School, several primary schools in the county have established football teams and taken part in youth football leagues.

Playing football has provided students in Liuba county with more possibilities for their future development. Some young footballers enrolled at universities, while others became professional players or were selected for the national team.

Liu Weiqi is now a part-time coach at the central primary school in Huoshaodian township, Liuba county. Liu, who graduated from the primary school, became a student in a football class of Liuba Middle School years ago and entered Qinghai Normal University in northwest China's Qinghai Province on a soccer scholarship.

"I might not have succeeded in applying for high school if I hadn't played football," Liu said. "I see more of the world through playing football, so I’m happy to teach students of my alma mater to play football when I have the time," Liu added.

Thanks to the sound development of campus football, Liuba county has extended the industrial chain for the football industry and developed sports tourism according to local conditions.

A football youth training base has been built in Yingpan village deep in the Qinling Mountains in the county. Seven professional-standard pitches can now be found there, as well as an apartment block that can house over 600 people.

Football competitions and training sessions at the Yingpan base have attracted crowds of people. During this year's summer vacation, the village was filled with 30,000 players, their parents and coaches.

"Many football clubs in Shaanxi and nearby provinces came to the base for training this year, so it was hard for some of them to book a room," said Ma Jun, the first secretary stationed in the village. Ma added that the village is stepping up efforts to turn more than 10 buildings into homestay hotels so that accommodation capacity can be increased next year.

In addition, 32 households in the village have set up agritainment facilities. Many young people who once worked outside the village have returned to start up their own businesses or find jobs.

Data showed that Liuba generates an annual revenue of almost 10 million yuan (about $1.4 million) from the football industry.

The football industry has promoted the integrated development of sports and tourism, and more input into the county's youth football will help bring about a virtuous circle in the football industry, said Chen, who is now director of the sports center of Liuba county.