Che, a Beijing native who used to be a professional footballer and graduated from Beijing Sports University, was employed as a soccer coach at the primary school in Mentougou district in September. He is one of China's domestic soccer coaches who are also benefiting from more job opportunities. In the coming three years, Beijing will build 200 specialty soccer schools which provide special soccer training in PE classes. "In 2000, the salary for a school soccer teacher was 800 yuan ($126), on which people could hardly make a living, and many went to other industries. Today, I heard there are more than 2,000 people queuing in line to get a coach certificate," he said.
In Che's opinion, what the foreign coaches can bring to Chinese children is the philosophy that "playing soccer is exciting and happy." The philosophy works well overseas because foreigners usually don't care about competition results. However, in China, even primary schools would set goals for their soccer team to win competitions, which gives more pressure to both coaches and students. "Some of the parents are keen on foreign soccer coaches because they think their children can learn English from them," he added.
Youth sport
Guo Jianjun, former director of the Youth Sport Research and Development Center of the China Institute of Sports Science, has experience in working with foreign coaches in training Chinese children. But he said the contribution foreign soccer coaches can make is very limited, as their training regimes can't be fully implemented because Chinese parents and children always put priority on academics over sports and the children's physical health.
"For example, when children learn a new skill they should highly concentrate. In Chinese schools, children are gathered for a soccer class after a whole day of academic study, which can be very exhausting. Many foreign coaches complain that they don't have the right time for training," said Guo.
Meanwhile, soccer is a sport that requires not only foot techniques but also upper body strength. While in foreign countries children can practice body strength by themselves with buddies after a soccer class, in China most the afterschool time of children is occupied by academic studies.
"A lot of parents send their children to play soccer because soccer skills can help them enter a better school," said Guo. "Chinese people should adjust their attitude and place value on sports. Health should come as the priority rather than academic study."
Over the past decades, China has seen a rise in chronic disease among children. The 2014 Beijing Health White Paper indicates a rise of high blood pressure and diabetes among young people. "We can only change the situation by changing our lifestyle and encouraging more children to do regular exercise, otherwise Chinese people will be called 'the sick men of East Aisa' again," warned Guo.
Chinese leaders pay special attention to soccer because they believe that promoting soccer can serve as an important approach to help raise the quality of Chinese people, said Guo.
Soccer communities
People's opinion over the effectiveness of foreign soccer teachers coming to local schools is divided, but many agree that giving training and guidance to China's PE teachers is necessary.
Bai plans to provide training in the Dutch soccer system to a larger number of people than PE teachers at schools. Many Chinese parents are concerned the most over the safety of their children in outdoor activities. Bai says the community soccer instructors trained under the Dutch system can guarantee the safety of children and provide guidance.
"In countries with advanced soccer culture, footballers grow up by playing soccer in their neighborhoods and communities with other kids and their parents. We are in need of adults who love soccer and are willing to spend time playing and coaching children," said Bai. "Only if more people participate in the sport can China have a better soccer culture."
"I also hope the country can have more flexible visa policies to invite more international soccer coaches," said Bai.
As he stays longer in China, Young's understanding of China's soccer is gradually growing. He has traveled to different places across China to give classes to children and PE teachers, and believes what he is engaged is productive and meaningful.
"We are finding our paths, trying to make our education system adaptable and useful to children, teachers and cultures here in China," said Young. "If you haven't see coaches outside of China, you don't see what the possibility can be. When you see how others doing it with your eyes, it opens your mind, OK, that is achievable and what can be done with my group."
