More children encouraged to take up ice hockey

VANCOUVER, Canada: Veteran players and the national coach have called for more children to join the sport of ice hockey as the nation is suffering from a critical lack of reserve players.

"If China's ice hockey wants to achieve smooth development, encouraging more children to join is the most important thing," said Jin Fengling, assistant captain of the Chinese women's team, which finished seventh at the Vancouver Games.

"I hope more parents send their children to play on ice. They should bear in mind that maybe one day that child could be standing on ice at the Olympic Games."