Feidong, Anhui: Rural Girls Football Team Wins the City Championship

The scorching sun in July burns the earth. On the playground of Hushan Road Primary School in Feidong County, Hefei City, Anhui Province, a group of teenagers with dreams of football were sweating profusely in the scorching heat, interpreting their love and persistence for football. Among them, several of them represented Feidong in the Hefei Youth Football League that just ended not long ago and won the U10 Women's Championship. This team has only been formed for two years, and most of the team members are children from rural areas. They use their love and persistence to write their "legends" on the green field.

"Strive to pass the ball! Don't stare at the ball when defending, look at people!"... That morning, the reporter just stepped into the playground of Hushan Road Primary School and heard the shouts of the coach. On the court, the team members were grouped for passing and receiving training, and everyone was very active: some children's sweat on their backs had dizzy dark colors; some children's sweat beads slid down their cheeks...

"Look, it's those children. They just won the city championship not long ago." Coach Ding Xin pointed to several figures who were focusing on training on the court, with a tone of pride.

This girl from Anhui Wuwei was once the main player of the Beijing Women's Football Team and was also the favorite disciple of former international player Liu Ying. Two years ago, at the call of her hometown, she came to Feidong and formed this U10 women's football team from scratch.

"The first time the county was solicited in May 2023, 30 girls came, and only half of the screening was left in a week." Ding Xin remembered clearly that at first, many children and parents tried it with a curious attitude, but later not many could really persist.

Due to academic pressure, hard training, parents' concerns and other reasons, in the end, there were only 9 children left in the women's football team. "This city competition is eight-a-side, and almost every one of our players has to play the whole game." When talking about winning the championship, Ding Xin obviously understands the children's hard work in the game more than anyone else.

In order to stimulate children's interest in football, Ding Xin spent a lot of effort in daily training: to mobilize children's enthusiasm through interesting games such as "football treasure hunting" and "obstacle dribbling", and then interspersed with basic skills such as stopping, passing, running, harnessing, and shooting. "No matter whether you take the professional path in the future or not, from the moment, it is enough for football to bring them happiness and hone their will."

Under the scorching sun, 10-year-old Wanyan Ruoxuan stood in the midfield, and the football under her feet seemed to be stuck to her shoes. She turned around lightly and passed the ball accurately to the forward - this assist allowed her teammates to easily score.

This Manchu girl wearing a No. 9 jersey is the core of the team's midfielder and is also the "double king" of this Hefei competition - Hefei football expert and best scorer (24 goals). Who would have thought that when she first joined the team two years ago, she was still a "football novice" who couldn't even get the ball. "At that time, the ball was always out of control. After practicing for a while, I was so tired that I couldn't breathe and sweat so hard that I couldn't even open my eyes." Wanyan Ruoxuan said with a smile that she came from the countryside and was not even used to wearing sneakers when she first came into contact with football. Nowadays, she not only has made great progress in her football skills, but also has learned to balance the relationship between football training and learning. "The coach often says that if you don't study well, you won't play well." Every day after school, Wanyan Ruoxuan is always the first to rush to the training ground.

10-year-old Huang Yujing is the "smart forward" in the team. He is not tall, but he can always find a shot in the melee. "When I was a child, my father always took me to play football. Later, the school recruited women's football players, so I participated." She grinned and showed two little tiger teeth. Two months ago, she represented Hushan Road School in the Hefei Campus Football League, and she won the "Best Scorer"; this time, she was also a great contributor to the Feidong Women's Football Team who won the championship through the hurdles. Behind the

championship, it is obvious that hard training is inseparable - this group of girls with an average age of 10 years old, the tanned skin is each of them. "Although the sun is shining, we are not afraid. After summer training, our arms can be divided into black and white." Huang Yujing rolled up his sleeves mischievously, "If the skin is not tanned, it means that the ball is not well trained!"

"Add a set of re-runs!" During the training interval, No. 8 player Wang Zixuan took the initiative to "add the amount" to himself. This fourth-grade student from Hushan Road Primary School has not the most outstanding physical condition, but with his tenacity, he became the "desperate three-niang" in the team. "The coach said that the reaction on the court should be practiced a thousand times off the stage." She wiped her sweat and her eyes were very bright. "Playing football is not only based on legs, but also on her brain - when to run and how to pass by, you have to think clearly."

Ding Xin often said that it is more difficult for women's football girls than men's football team: "There are fewer people practicing and fewer opportunities to play, and parents are also prone to worrying about 'too hard'. But these children have never called it tired. Because there are few people and they cannot get the number of people, they often practice with the male players. This 'extraordinary training' makes them more confident in the formal competition and have more confidence." Behind the hard training is the big dream hidden in the hearts of the children: "I want to join the national team and win glory for the country!"

As noon approached, the coach blew the whistle to get off get out of class. The girls put away the balls, hugged each other's shoulders and walked out the field, laughing as crisp as wind chimes. The green field under their feet connects the soil of the countryside with the field in the distance. As Ding Xin said, "Football is round. Who knows whether these rural girls will kick out of the country in the future. The scorching sun is still scorching the earth, but these girls chasing the wind have used sweat and love to kick open a door to their dreams for themselves.

Review: Sun Yujie, Zhu Jianghui