A soccer training base for teenagers has been set up in Central China’s Henan Province which mingles Chinese martial arts or Kung Fu into soccer training.

Students playing soccer at the opening ceremony of the Kung Fu soccer base.(CFP Photo)

The soccer training base was built jointly by local government and Shaolin Tagou Martial Arts School which is located only kilometers away from the historic Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City of Henan Province, the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu.

File: Students of the Shaolin Tagou Martial Arts School playing football in 2011. ( Xinhua photo)

Local sport authorities believed that their specialty in martial arts can give them an edge in soccer development.

“To set up this soccer training base is a bold try to bring Shaolin Kung Fu into soccer as the sport is under going a reform in our country. We also want to create a new brand of ‘Shaolin soccer’, because Henan is the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu and we have made much research for that”, said Zhang Wenshen, director of the Sports Bureau of Henan province.

Students perform Kung Fu at the opening ceremony of the the soccer training base CFP Photo.

Two classes with 100 teenagers has been set up, including 50 boys and 50 girls, and government sent three experienced coaches to the base. Football training, martial arts practice and school courses will keep these teenagers very busy.

“It’s just the beginning. More children will start to play football and I believe it will foster some soccer talents”, said Liu Haike, vice-president of Shaolin Tagou Martial Arts School which has 35,000 students from all over the world.

Xinhua Story.