Learning curve for Chinese kids

Zhang founded Skyway in 2015 and has provided football training courses to around 8,000 children.

"We would like our society to see that Chinese children can play American football," Zhang said. "Youth sports training is a promising market in our country."

But gridiron is still a a mystery to most Chinese parents, who usually learn about it through word of mouth before sending their children to play.

Jin Dan put her 7-year-old son in a football course after a friend's recommendation in 2016, and the boy quickly fell in love with the game.

"I was worried about my son getting hurt at first," said Jin. "From what I saw on television, there is a lot of tackling, hitting and tumbling."