Members of the Zhaozhuang Primary School's girls' soccer team practice on the school's field in Yuezhuang township, Yiyuan county, Shandong province. ZHAO DONGSHAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Female primary students flourish on soccer fields in a small village in Shandong

In the small mountain village of Zhaozhuang in Yiyuan county, Shandong province, there is a group of soccer-loving girls.

In 2019, the Zhaozhuang Primary School in Yuezhuang township introduced a soccer program that sparked these girls' interest in the sport.

The school selected over 20 girls who were physically fit and hardworking to form a soccer team. They trained an average of five times a week and participated in more than 20 matches each school year.

After several years of training and competing, the girls realized that soccer was not just a simple game, but a sport that requires teamwork to be successful. They soon became more disciplined in their training.