Kids undergoing soccer training in China. (Photo : Getty Images)
In an effort to promote and train China's young children in the basics of soccer, the first instruction books on the sport which were specifically created for kindergarten pupils have recently been made available all over the country, reports have claimed.
China Daily indicated that the "series of textbooks" are now "published nationwide" and has three versions, namely: "for lower grade students, middle grade students, and higher grade students".
Yin Hongbo, a 26-year-old Chinese children's fitness expert and active football player for China League One squad Henan Jianye, authored the books and was published via the Beijing Normal University Publishing Group.
The lower grade edition talks about how Chinese kids will begin the habit of controlling the ball without touching it with their hands and instead using only their feet and other body parts. The middle grade edition touches on the basic skills needed in soccer like kicking and dribbling. Meanwhile, the higher grade edition explains the basic in scoring and passing the football.
"Soccer is a great sport in cultivation team partnership and courage," Yu said, adding that the "kindergarten level is a critical period to build up sports cognition, interests, and skills".
China president Xi Jinping is a well-known soccer enthusiast and has been highly vocal about his desire to make the country as one of the foremost ambassadors of the sport worldwide.
The report also noted that the Chinese academe agreed that the introduction of soccer at such an early age is "the cornerstone in realizing China's soccer dream to join the world's elite at major sporting events" and the publication of the said books is a major step towards realizing that dream.
China has already published similar books in March of last year, as reported by Daily Mail Online already published similar books in March of last year, as reported by Daily Mail Online, but this was the first time it was implemented nationwide.
