The founder and chief coach of Beijing Guoan Yueye Football Club, Cai Wei introduced their cooperation project with German Riddell Soccer School.[Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]

Tuesday is Cai Wei's busiest day in the week. As the founder and chief coach of Guoan Yueye Football Club, he teaches children soccer at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium in the morning. After a quick lunch, he hurries to train more children at the elementary school branch of the club located in eastern Beijing's Chaoyang district.
 

 About 40 children are playing soccer in the field, thoroughly enjoying themselves. The children of Guoan Yueye Football Club are between the ages of 8 to 15.

One of the players said:
"I love football and I really enjoy the pleasure. Thanks to coach Cai Wei, we have won a lot of games."

It is a happy time for them because they just won the championship at a Swedish tournament. The best news for these children is that they can learn soccer in German and even play for top-flight teams as long as they pass the test by Riddell Soccer School.

Cai Wei is very excited about the news:
"This is our cooperation project with Germany's Riddell Soccer School. If our footballers pass their tests, they will pay for the expenses of these children to study and exercise in German. For children, it is another way to a better future apart from playing for Guoan Soccer Club, a team in football's Chinese Super League."
 
Cai was a professional soccer player for 20 years before he started this soccer club. When he retired, he thought it was time to pass on soccer skills to the younger generation. At first, he provided free training to 20 children from Beijing who he found to have good sports potential.

"I offered free training to these 20 children. Every day after my part-time job, I taught them football. Now they have graduated from my club. Some are studying at universities and the others are playing for professional teams."

After 10 years of development, the club is not only growing bigger in size, including the elementary and middle school branches, but also in reputation. However, people may not know about the difficulties in its development.

Cai recalled the periods of hardship:
"Just like any other business, it's hard to start a soccer club. It isn't enough to have enthusiasm alone. You also need to have key social network contacts and financial ability."

Ten years of efforts in training top-quality players has taught him that football training should start before the age of five. Sending children abroad is an easier way for China to rid itself of its laggard image.

"Sending more youth abroad may be the shortcut to the development of Chinese football because it will cost years of efforts to reform the system here and change parents' ideas."