COACH:Tchami Keou Joseph teaching the love of soccer

The cries of 12,000 Chinese children moving in unison are impressive. On a hot June afternoon they go through their paces, perfecting the ancient intricate moves of Shaolin kungfu in an area the size of four football fields. Standing on the sidelines a tall, black man watches intently. His name is Tchami Keou Joseph and he's there to teach a small group of these children how to play soccer.  

This is the Training Base of the Warrior Monks Group at China's Songshan Shaolin Temple. Located in the middle of the country in Dengfeng, Henan Province, it lies less than 10 km from the actual, world-famous Shaolin Temple. Last October, the Youth Soccer School was set up at the base with Joseph, a former Cameroon national player, as the school's first head coach. "The kids really love playing and they're very devoted," he said. "I'm so surprised at the progress they have made. I feel very proud."  

"Chinese soccer is in a downturn period now, but Chinese people's expectations are [nonetheless] very high," said Shi Yanlu, the head coach for the group. "I think if we start with children, we may cultivate good young players, [helping] the country's soccer development." The soccer school was originally Shi's initiative. 

Currently, there are over 60 youngsters at the soccer school. They were selected from over 2,000 10-year-olds and are divided into three classes, two for boys and one for girls. Most days, their time is spent on class, kungfu, and then soccer training.  

"Kungfu pays attention to solid basic skills training. The same goes for soccer," explained Cai Liangliang, a coach at the school. "We select children in good physical condition, who are flexible in kungfu practice, and we start training them in basic skills. Now, time spent on soccer training accounts for 30 percent [of their day], and the percentage will increase to 70 percent when the [school's] construction is completed and all its facilities are in place."  

At present, 72 kungfu schools are registered in Dengfeng. They recruit students from all over China. Most of these pupils are young kungfu enthusiasts. Their training generally takes about 10 years. In order to graduate, students are required to earn at least a secondary education degree, combined with a good command of martial art skills. "For children selected to be on the soccer team, they also need to receive systematic soccer training in tandem [with their other studies]. We hope some of them can become professional players in the future," said Cai.

Combining kungfu and soccer  

In the late 1990s, the comedy Shaolin Soccer, directed by Hong Kong star Stephen Chow (who also starred in the film), was a smash hit. It screened at 11 international film festivals and won worldwide repute. In Shaolin Soccer, the film's hero combines Shaolin kungfu with football, and eventually brings victory to the Shaolin team at the country's National Soccer Super Cup championship. Although the movie is a bit exaggerated, it left many audiences dreaming of possibilities. 

More than a decade later, these dreams appear to be coming to life at Songshan. 

Joseph found his way to China via fellow Cameroonian Dominique Martin Saatenang, who happens to be president of the French African Wushu Association. Ten years ago, Saatenang came to study kungfu at the Shaolin Temple, where he was nicknamed the "Cameroonian Bruce Lee." When he heard that the training base planned to run a soccer school, he recommended Joseph.  

For Joseph, it was China and Shaolin kungfu that attracted him. "I watched many kungfu movies when I was a little boy. Jackie Chan and Jet Li's movies are my favorite," he said, explaining his first introduction to Chinese culture. "When Saatenang suggested I coach a soccer team at Shaolin, I felt it would be eventful if I could bring the game here."

Shi agrees. "I think the Shaolin spirit and the spirit of soccer have something in common. The Shaolin spirit is about great wisdom and courage, bravery and strong will. I hope the children can show the Shaolin spirit in their soccer training," he said. Shi himself practiced Shaolin kungfu for many years before becoming an instructor. 

Shi thinks that the integration of kungfu and soccer combines their strongest techniques. "They both need to have the strong sense of attack and defense," he explained. "The foot and fist positions in Shaolin kungfu help to improve students' kicking, impact resistance and physical coordination. We are trying to integrate those kungfu skills into soccer."