Kick-starting new coaching plan
By Cui Haipai in Huaian, Jiangsu province (China Daily) Updated：2017-09-28
Jan Scharlowsky, youth training director for the Berlin Football Association, instructs prospective coaches at Huaiyin Normal University in Huaian, Jiangsu province, last Saturday.Provieded to China Daily
According to the agreement, Huaiyin Normal University will be responsible for recruiting students and providing training venues and equipment.
The BFV will provide professional courses of between 24 and 30 months to produce UEFA B- and C-level coaches, and will send two former professional players-turned-lecturers to instruct at the academy.
Successful graduates will obtain both college undergraduate diplomas and certificates issued by the BFV.
It will also streamline the process for graduates to obtain licenses for employment as teachers in primary and middle schools.
Around 80 prospective teacher-coaches nationwide, mainly from East China, have already enrolled.
During their four-year term, they will study soccer theory, skills and coaching, as well as touching on the business end of the sport.
As part of President Xi Jinping's plan to transform the nation into a world soccer power by 2050, China and Germany signed a five-year agreement last November to boost soccer cooperation between the two countries.
Xi reaffirmed his commitment to the deal two months ago when he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a friendly match between young players from the two countries at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
However, a lack of qualified grassroots coaches has been identified as a major weakness in China's grand plan.
"In the past, there was little attention paid to cultivating soccer coaches for schools," said Lu Yu, an official from the State General Administration of Sports.
"As a result, it wasn't uncommon to see teachers of volleyball or swimming, even teachers of Chinese and English classes, teaching soccer at our primary and middle schools.
"If the Sino-German academy succeeds in applying advanced foreign youth training methods to our country's situation, then we should see progress," added Lu.
He also revealed the program will be expanded next year, with some other universities, including Beijing Sport University, training grassroots coaches.
cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn
