Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

A GROUP of 11 children from the rural regions of Guizhou Province joined their Shenzhen peers for a seven-day soccer summer camp in Shenzhen yesterday.

The initiative, called the Sunshine Football Youth Training Camp, was launched by the Shenzhen Women and Children’s Development Foundation. The camp’s opening ceremony took place at the Shenyun Culture and Sports Park in Nanshan District.

The program is designed to foster the soccer aspirations of children from rural backgrounds by offering them exposure to international training methods. The foundation has backed these 11 teenagers from Guizhou, granting them access to an unparalleled chance to partake in advanced international soccer training sessions.

Shortly after the children arrived in Shenzhen on Saturday from Rongjiang County, Guizhou, which is over 800 kilometers away, the 11 children headed to the Bao’an Sports Center where they watched a Chinese Super League match and cheered for their favorite players.

For many of these children, this was their first time watching a professional soccer match in person.

According to the foundation, the highlight of the camp is training courses designed by the renowned Club Atlético de Madrid from Spain. The courses allow the young footballers joining the camp to experience professional and systematic international soccer training concepts and methods.

“For me, it is a great opportunity to know the kids and to train with different kids that are very hardworking and intelligent. Our main goal is to make them love the game and have fun,” said Eduardo Sobreviela, a Spanish coach from Club Atlético de Madrid who trains teenagers under 14.

“Believe me, it’s demanding with all the hours of training and running. The best part for me is the last training session, where they truly let loose and enjoy themselves, forgetting about everything else, including the heat and their exhaustion,” Sobreviela said.

The camp’s activities include observing professional matches, discussions and exchanges, friendly matches, and academic exchanges, all designed to help these young athletes grow and excel in the sport, according to the foundation.