Rural teacher defies setbacks, chases soccer dream

But Zhang's passion for soccer was rekindled in 2015, when China rolled out a national soccer reform which included expanding the sport in school. Learning of the news, the thrilled Zhang went to the headmaster's office, telling him his plan to build a soccer team at the school.

With great enthusiasm, he bought balls, borrowed goals, drew lines on the ground and picked out some students with talent from each class.

At first, many parents of the students doubted Zhang's abilities to teach soccer because of his physical handicap. But Zhang did not flinch.

He rented vacant land near the school and bulldozed it, turning it into a dirt soccer ground. After each class, the children were covered with mud.

In September 2016, the school moved to a new campus, and a soccer ground with artificial grass was built.

The effort paid off. In 2017, the Jiangzuo Town Primary School soccer team won the championship at a school competition in Yichuan county. This year, they are fighting for the championship at a competition in Luoyang city.

Zhang Erhu has benefited a lot from coaching over the past three years. His right leg can now support his body without a crutch.

"Teacher Zhang is our role model. He is always the first to come to the soccer ground every morning, and the last one to leave," said a boy named Liu Xiang. "We will train hard and not let him down."

Zhang Erhu has more ambitions for the road ahead. "I have eight more years before retirement. My goal is to cultivate 100 college students who specialize in soccer," he said.