Volunteer disabled coach inspires students, fellow football players

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠An ordinary retired disabled worker in Hebei Province has become an inspiring figure, spreading the joy of sports to both students and fellow football players.

Wang Yong, 52, is a retired worker from a pharmaceutical company in Cangzhou City.

Despite losing his left arm in a traffic accident in 2008, Wang's love for the game never wavered.

His passion for football has allowed him to overcome personal challenges and now, he shares that same passion by volunteering as a football coach for children at the city's Chezhan Primary School.

In May 2023, Wang took on the role of a voluntary football coach at the school, teaching kids football skills and promoting physical health.

Football, to him, is not just a sport but a guiding light that helped him recover from the dark period following the accident.

"After the accident, my first thought was that I might never be able to play football again. I remembered it very clearly. I didn't know what life would be like later, but believed that as life is full of ups and downs, with many setbacks, instead of feeling downbeat, it's better to just let things take their course," he said.

As he was short of coaching experience, Wang used online resources and books to improve his knowledge of the game.

Combining the studies with years of practical experience, he developed training plans to help the children improve their skills and understanding of football.

"The students really love this football group. We also have professional teachers who train the students every day. But when everyone saw Wang , they were deeply moved. His passion for football and his inspirational life story are so impressive. With Wang's spirit leading the way, the children will be strong and resilient enough in the face of difficulties in life, never yielding to fate," said Xu Jianfen, the school principal.

Wang's journey to healing was further inspired by his participation in a fans league in 2019, organized by a local football club. This event renewed his enthusiasm for life, and today, football remains a constant companion.

Wang often heads to Cangzhou's Yunhe Park, where he joins local football enthusiasts for a lively match.

Wang is a familiar face on the pitch, where he continues to sweat to his heart's content, sharing his love for the sport.

His peers gave thumbs up for his spirit of never giving up.

"At first we wanted to go easy on him as he has only one arm. But he told me on the football pitch, 'Don't give me any special treatment, because I'm here to fight.' From him, I can feel a strong sense of ambition and a drive to strive for victory in the game. This is what he wants in sports, and also a goal that motivates him in life," said Feng Jianxin, a fellow football player.

Volunteer disabled coach inspires students, fellow football players

A Japanese expert warned that rising oil prices are beginning to slow Japan's economic recovery and push up overall prices, and that tapping national oil reserves is not a long-term solution.

Japan will start releasing oil from state reserves on Thursday as concerns over supply mount amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The measure, announced by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a meeting of relevant Cabinet members to discuss ways to cushion the impact of the tensions in the Middle East on the Japanese economy, comes after Japan started releasing oil from private-sector stockpiles last Monday.

Masatoshi Kojima, a professor in the Department of Business Administration at Momoyama Gakuin University, said the policy assumes the Middle East crisis will end soon; if it doesn't, the policy will require a dramatic adjustment.

"In fact, I don't believe that the current policy (of releasing oil reserves) is sustainable in the long term. The policy currently rests on the assumption that the crisis in the Middle East will end soon. If it drags on, I think the policy will need significant adjustment," said Kojima.

On the economy, Kojima warned that continued rises in crude oil prices would put long-term pressure on Japan.

"The Japanese economy is recovering steadily, but ongoing Middle East tensions could have a major impact. If the crisis is resolved quickly, the damage will be limited. However, given the uncertainty, if consumers and investors start cutting back, the economic fallout could be far greater than expected even after the tensions end," said Kojima.

Releasing state oil reserves not long-term solution for government: Japanese expert