Young girls in remote Guizhou shine at soccer

Girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Guizhou province have formed a primary school soccer team. [Photo provided by Zheng Jijun/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Sixty girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Bijie, Guizhou province — a deep mountain village — have formed a primary school soccer team.

Since setting up the team in 2017, their 42-year-old volunteer teacher Xu Zhaowei, who is also the coach, started training them in the skills of the game.

Girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Guizhou province have formed a primary school soccer team. [Photo provided by Zheng Jijun/For chinadaily.com.cn]

"Our team trains five times a week and conducts intensive training during the holidays. We usually have three periods of exercises per day, especially core strength training to improve their athletic performance and reduce falls on the pitch.

Girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Guizhou province have formed a primary school soccer team. [Photo provided by Zheng Jijun/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Xu found that his students played as well as the children in town. The more they kicked, the more confidence they gained. After several years of hard training, they began to make their mark in numerous competitions. The girls showed their indomitable fighting spirit and will to win.

Soccer opens another channel for these girls' lives, and brings them opportunities for further study and development.

Girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Guizhou province have formed a primary school soccer team. [Photo provided by Zheng Jijun/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Twelve of the girls were admitted by the county's key middle school as special sports students in 2018. Two years later, eight were admitted to the southwest branch of the China Football Academy affiliated with Beijing Sports University. Nine other girls were admitted to study in Chongqing because of their outstanding skills.

Girls from Yuanbao Primary School in Dafang county of Guizhou province have formed a primary school soccer team. [Photo provided by Zheng Jijun/For chinadaily.com.cn]

"The children in the mountains are particularly fit, hard-working, strong-willed and tough — the most beautiful characteristics of steel roses," Xu said.

Wang Jin contributed to this story.