Bringing floorball to the grassroots

A dedicated teacher is helping establish the game in an area known for ice-based sports. Jiang Chenglong reports from Beijing with Yuan Hui in Hohhot.

"Inner Mongolia has always been the land of field hockey, but how many parents and children know about this sport nowadays? Only a few," said Ding Wenli, a PE teacher at a primary school in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Despite that history, the former field hockey player who represented China at international competitions never imagined that she would lead children to embrace a sport she has loved for decades at this advanced stage of her career as she approaches retirement.

In December, floorball, a type of field hockey that is played both indoors and outdoors, was officially introduced as a pilot project at five primary schools in Hohhot's Yuquan district. The schools included Ding's employer, the Tongshun Street Primary School, where more than 30 children have undertaken floorball training under her watchful eye.

So, how has floorball－which is far more popular in the United States and Europe－been introduced to primary schools in this relatively underdeveloped part of North China?

"Many people don't know that field hockey is one of our traditionally strong sports," said Yue Liya, secretary of the Inner Mongolia Hockey Association, who noted that many of China's 2008 Olympics silver medalists in women's field hockey hailed from Inner Mongolia.

"The regions of North China like Inner Mongolia are usually strong in ice events, including hockey, but we gradually developed our advancement in field hockey. However, our advantage in the sport has been weakened by a series of economic and historical factors.

"Training teenagers is vital to strengthening a sporting activity, so our current focus is to attract more children and youngsters to play the game. However, many quit because they and their parents are worried about getting injured by hard field hockey sticks and balls, and by the intense physical confrontation during the game."

When things reach this point, floorball becomes the best choice, he noted.

Pilot project

Zhang Xiang, an education official in Yuquan district, said, "The floorball sticks and balls are much softer than those used in field hockey, which makes the game safer for teenagers to play."

In September, the leaders of the district's education bureau discovered that floorball could be a good choice for teenagers when they watched some kindergarten children playing the game during an inspection trip.

"Floorball provides exercise and requires teamwork, but it doesn't demand a large playing field. Both indoor and outdoor fields are applicable," Zhang said. "The game can be very easily promoted in more schools."

After conducting some research, the education bureau quickly selected five primary schools with large sports fields and qualified coaches to act as pilot platforms for the promotion of the sport. The sticks, balls and uniforms were provided free of charge by the regional field hockey association.

"I was very excited when I saw that the education bureau had conducted research at our school," Ding said. "I'm willing to tell the children my stories about how I represented my country at international events, and help them embrace floorball."

Growing interest

Ding said it was a big challenge to persuade the students to play floorball, since almost no one at the school knew anything about the sport.

To attract more children, she held an introductory ceremony on the playground, and the school's soccer team was invited to try the unfamiliar sport in a friendly game.

The welcome floorball received from the students was far beyond her expectations. She recalled that as they were changing out of their soccer kits, the team members said, "Teacher Ding, can we give up soccer training and keep playing floorball in the future?"

As photos of the match spread via various class chat groups, more than 30 students from various grades expressed an interest in the sport. At the end of last year, they became the school's first batch of floorball players, training for 45 minutes three times every week.

"Every time we finish floorball training, I feel so relaxed and happy," Bian Rui, a 10-year-old player at the school, said.

"I really enjoy playing because it requires us to cooperate with teammates and run fast and flexibly. I would like to become a real floorball player in the future."

Ding said she always tells the children to be passionate during games. "You have to be energetic and fight to win as long as you are standing on the field," she said. "That's the spirit of the sport."

However, since the beginning of the year, training has been suspended as a result of a local outbreak of COVID-19. Two other things were suspended as well: Ding's plan to officially form a school team, and her retirement.

"I have to stay here until the school is equipped with two more qualified floorball coaches who can take my current job," she said.

"Although I am already 55, I feel so young when playing alongside the children, as though I am 45 or even 35. I don't feel tired at all when I'm doing the thing I love."

Future moves

Starting this autumn, students from grades 2 to 5 at the primary school will have at least one floorball class among their four PE sessions every week to involve more of them in the sport.

Meanwhile, Yuquan has expanded the list of pilot platforms to more than 30 middle and primary schools, thereby making the sport accessible to more than 40,000 students.

To meet the growing demand for qualified coaches, the regional field hockey association has trained its 140 teachers in two batches to the required standard for floorball.

Ding said that nowadays a growing number of parents are willing to let their children play the sport.

"Enjoyment is precious, and not everyone can get it," the veteran teacher said. "The physical and mental joy will provide a lifetime's wealth."