I want to inspire my students

Tan Huayan, 40, team captain

When I was young, my family was so poor that we even picked wild vegetables to eat. I started playing soccer at primary school, but I quit after several months because my grandmother was worried we wouldn't be able to afford treatment if I got injured.

My PE teacher visited my family to persuade me to continue because he thought I was a good player. He even bought me a bike to ride to the training venue. Eventually, my mom agreed.

I became a professional player on the provincial women's team based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Although I flew all over the country for games, I was a rookie, so I had few opportunities to get on the field. When I was 25, I chose to leave.

I used to sell clothes, watches and property. I wanted to be a teacher, so I regretted not finishing college.

However, I got my bachelor's in 2020 and am now a PE teacher at a primary school. I also have a 13-year-old daughter.

Except for during my pregnancy, I always played soccer. A month after giving birth to my daughter, my mother and I took the baby to watch the others play. At the field, I couldn't help but put on some boots and join them. My mom told me not to run, so I said I'd just kick the ball for a while.

My husband supports me playing the sport. He practices with me and helps me analyze tactics after games. Last year, when I was competing in the National Games, he told netizens that one of the players was his wife while watching a livestream of the game on social media.

The games last year saw the best result of my soccer career. Now, I want to teach my students about the sport's spirit of unity and not giving up.

Tan Huayan spoke with Zhang Yi.