The Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China held a press conference in Haimen, Jiangsu Province yesterday (June 26), updating the national youth campus football’s work and progress and explaining strategies on national school sports education reforms. 

Wang Dengfeng, the Director of the National Youth Campus Football Work Leading Group Office, and Director of the Department of Physical, Health and Arts Education of the Ministry of Education, answered the question how does campus football led by the Ministry of Education and professional football driven by sports departments co-exist with each other. 

He remarked that the principle “is to create coordination between the two systems at the initial planning stage and allow both to develop independently while at the same time being supportive to each other”. 

Currently, campus football in China has complete education, training and competition systems, while on the other hand, football associations and sports departments have their own systems and methods to develop talents and professional football in China. 

Therefore, the two systems should coordinate with each other from the beginning. For example, to avoid collisions of competition times as the two systems usually share the same group of students and players. 

The two systems should share relevant resources with each other as the Football Associations and sports departments are usually better at organizing competitions and have more professional staff in relevant fields. The Ministry of Education and sports departments should assist each other in the development process. 

He suggested that primary and middle school students should integrate football as a part of their life. Students good at football can increase their skills by training in their free time, at weekends and on holidays, when more football coaches would be needed and hopefully the sports departments can help to meet these demands. High school and university students who have potential are encouraged to participate in more sports departments’ youth training systems. 

The two systems can also collaborate to organize football competitions at primary and middle school levels, to help drive mutual growth. 

The Director admitted too that it was a difficult question that needed to be scientifically researched to look for answers.

Source: The Papers 

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick