A local educator in Shache County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been working hard to transform the future fortunes of young children through a love of football, helping them broaden their horizons while cultivating a great team spirit on the pitch.
Shen Wei, the Party Branch Secretary of the Kaqun Township Central Primary School, made the decision to stay in his home county after graduating from university and dedicate himself to education.
With the firm belief that learning can open up a broader world for children, it was in sports education that Shen discovered a ray of hope, and after recognizing the appetite for football amongst youngsters in the township, he sought to establish a local team and set about improving the conditions for them to play the game they loved.
Starting from a humble village school, he later leveraged public support to build a brand new soccer field, allowing the children to train in a far better environment.
"Watching them play football reminded me of my own childhood. They all swarmed after a single ball, playing on the open ground instead of on a proper field, without any paved surfaces. That ball wasn't even a real soccer ball, more like a rubber toy one. But the children played with pure joy. Their happiness was real. As they ran across the rough field chasing the ball, their smiles were so genuine. It was the unfiltered energy of childhood. I was deeply moved. That's when I thought could I help them play and train on a proper field?" said Shen.
The sport not only brought the children joy but also gave them the opportunity to step beyond their hometown and witness a wider world, as they traveled to face other teams and gained great new experiences on the road.
"In 2021, with the support of public donations, we built a bespoke football field. It was a learning process, figuring things out as we went. Since these children love football so much, why not help them chase their dreams? Through tournaments, we traveled to many places— Kashgar, Urumqi, Shanghai, Guangzhou. If football can take them beyond here, why not see how far they can go? This gives them a chance to see the world," said Shen.
Through the setbacks they faced, they learned perseverance, and Shen said he became proud of his young players' approach to the game and the character they showed. This made success taste all the sweeter whenever they won.
"Yet, we lost our very first match. It hurt. But our team captain stayed positive. I asked him, 'Aren't you upset we lost?' He said, 'It's okay, Mr. Shen. There's always another match.' His attitude had a profound impact on me. Seeing his spirit, hearing his words I suddenly felt at peace. I then realized this is what they call 'mutual learning'," he said.
"Two years ago, we won our first county championship. The feeling was pure happiness. All our effort had been worth it. The children were thrilled, filled with an incredible sense of pride," he said.
Shen has also found other ways to encourage and inspire the children, even showing them clips of classic games from around the world, such as a famous match involving Watford FC , who looked on the verge of defeat only to dramatically seal victory in the dying seconds of a crucial game back in 2013. He used this as an example for the young players to learn to "never give up" until the very last moment.
As the local football program goes from strength to strength, Shen noted that Shache County has now established training centers across multiple age groups, ranging from the elementary, middle and high school level. He hopes some of his most talented young students can be selected by youth academies, clubs, or other regions, as it will give them chance to grace even bigger stages and achieve greater things.
From nurturing a simple dream to establishing a multi-level youth training system, Shen says his determined young players from rural Xinjiang are striving to reach a higher level, pledging to follow his motto of "never giving up" and fueling the future dreams of Chinese football as a whole.
Football inspires students in rural Xinjiang county to chase dreams, embrace bigger opportunities
