During a recent discussion between two scholars, Yi Zhongtian and Chen Danqing, the latter made a sarcastic remark that Chinese education was as good as Chinese soccer. That prompted people to find a correlation between Chinese education and soccer, and question why a country of more than 1.3 billion people lags behind in soccer, says an article in Southern Metropolis Daily. Excerpts:

Many people say China is not a soccer power because there are very few soccer fields in the country and potential talents are forced to stay indoors most of the time because of the pressure of studies (mainly homework) and their parents.

To be outstanding, a soccer player has to practice and play competitive games regularly. Even if the youths who play competitive matches and practice regularly do not become brilliant players, the physical exercise they put in will help them develop into all-rounded personalities and instill in them the team spirit, necessary to succeed in almost all fields of life.

So the government should build as many soccer fields as possible and direct schools to encourage children to play soccer during their leisure time. The role of parents is paramount, because without their active help children cannot be expected to take to the soccer field. More public sports facilities, however, will go a long way in attracting raw talents, which can be honed by professional training and guidance.

If changes occur both at government and civil levels, the standard of soccer and education is bound to rise to greater heights.

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(China Daily 07/01/2014 page9)