Sport makes health fun

Hu Shengyi, a graduate of the school, played both as a winger and defender and was once the star of the team. She attested to the significant improvement in her stamina since joining the sport. Hu has even traveled with her team to Shanghai for U-Series floorball games, competing with youth teams from major cities.

Many rural students now regularly participate in the U-Series floorball matches in Shanghai, providing them with valuable sports training and exposure to competition in cities.

Over the past two decades, Chen has dedicated herself to promoting floorball across the country. According to data from the Shanghai Floorball Association, Chen and her team have conducted training sessions in almost 200 universities and 2,000 primary schools across at least 28 provinces and municipalities, with many of these primary schools located in rural areas.

"I am also from a rural area. Sports completely transformed my life," Chen says.

As a child, Chen battled severe asthma and was often confined to her bed. Her parents sent her to soccer school, hoping that sports could keep her healthy. Most children growing up in Xiapu of East China's Fujian province were enrolled in soccer, a popular sport in the area.

"It was painful at first and I cried a lot in the training base, which was far away from my home," Chen says.