Wuxi Chuncheng Experimental Primary School saw dozens of students polish their football skills on April 19 under the tutelage of David Batch and Andy Heald, a pair of foreign coaches from the United Kingdom.
The two trainers work for PremierSport, the UK's largest provider of sport and physical activity instruction, and spent one day in Wuxi sharing some footballing knowledge with the students.
The company had been invited by the football office of Wuxi Education Bureau, which recently drew up a blueprint to improve the health of China's grassroots football in a meeting held on March 13. PremierSport will now regularly send professional coaches to Wuxi to develop footballing talent and generate popularity for the sport in the East China city.
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Coaches from PremierSport, UK's largest provider of sport and physical activity instruction, give a football training class to young players of Wuxi Chuncheng Experimental Primary School on April 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
During the two-hour training, the two coaches emphasized the importance of ball control and helped demonstrate warm-ups, dribbling, passing, and ball protection. The practice certainly got the thumbs up from Wang Min, the PE teacher of the class.
"For every single move, David and Andy would set the example first and then get the kids involved. From time to time they conducted individual guidance and generally seemed focused on helping the kids to enjoy the fun of the sport."
After Andy explained three types of ball control techniques, the class was divided into four groups and started real games. David's two sons also took part in the match to make the competition a somewhat international affair.
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UK football coaches David Batch and Andy Heald take a group photo with players, teachers, and officials of Wuxi Chuncheng Experimental Primary School after the training class on April 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
Before leaving, the coaches offered the students a souvenir of the training session and in turn received a trophy from Chuncheng School and Huishan clay figurines, an iconic local specialty.
Chuncheng School is one of many that will receive overseas football trainings as part of the city's exchange projects with PremierSport in an effort to improve participation in youth level football.
