Teacher’s devotion pays off as Ronaldo honors efforts
Star praises work to promote sports participation among rural children
A primary school teacher from one of China’s poorest mountain regions, Lyu Shaowu never imagined he would one day come face to face with his idol, international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, not to mention receive a gift from the Real Madrid striker.
Lyu’s dream recently came true thanks to his commitment to promoting physical education as a way to inspire underprivileged children, despite a lack of funding and resources, in Gansu province’s Longxi county.
As one of 100 outstanding physical education teachers honored at the Active Schools Innovation Award in Beijing, Lyu received his award and a pair of Ronaldo’s soccer boots from the Portuguese star, who attended the ceremony, organized by his sponsor Nike, to encourage Lyu and his peers to continue promoting sports participation among rural children.
“The work you do is very important,” Ronaldo said after shaking hands with Lyu. “Congratulations and thank you for all that you’re doing with the kids at your school. You are making a difference in their lives.”
Lyu said afterward: “I didn’t expect his appearance at all. It was a big surprise and probably the best moment in my life so far. I feel like all the hard work teaching sports with poor facilities has paid off.”
The Active Schools program is part of a long-term partnership signed between Nike and the Ministry of Education to encourage more than 2 million children to embrace sports participation as an education tool by providing facilities, tailor-made PE curricula and training for teachers.
Lyu’s dedication in teaching more than 30 students soccer on a rugged wasteland at the mountain-surrounded village school over the past three years has drawn attention to his little-known but invaluable work.
“Physical education is an integral part of education that is not only beneficial to one’s health, but also cultivates one’s personality, builds character and fosters team spirit. The work of grassroots PE teachers is admirable,” said Wang Dengfeng, director of the physical education, health and arts department for the Ministry of Education.
Hired by Hekou Primary School as a full-time teacher of Chinese literature in 2010, Lyu, an avid soccer fan, realized he could channel his passion for the game to his students after a right-knee injury prevented him from playing in 2014.
He has since worked part time as the school’s only PE teacher, giving seven soccer classes and two after-school training sessions a week based on a self-designed curriculum including warmups, skills practice and team scrimmage.
Facing a lack of decent facilities, Lyu cleaned up an overgrown area behind the classrooms to use as a training ground and used his own money to buy soccer balls and equipment.
In the mountain village where a well-rounded education remains a remote concept, he aims to teach the children something they can’t learn in a classroom.
“I’ve been there and I know how desperately these kids need something positive in their lives,” said Lyu, who lost his father and grandfather in an accident when he was 5.
“Poverty, bereavement or dropping out ... all these make children here vulnerable to depression and lacking in confidence at an early age. Playing soccer gives them confidence and allows them to forget life’s adversities, at least for a while.”
After gaining the support of the headmaster and parents, Lyu took the team to compete at the Longxi students’ tournament this year, where they finished third in the 12-team event.
The genuine happiness displayed on his students’ smiling faces during the event brought a sense of satisfaction that was second to none, he said.
Now included in the Active Schools program support network, Lyu will benefit from a Nike-developed PE curriculum, allowing him to offer his students more scientific and effective training.
Additionally, the China Education and Development Foundation, with support from Nike, will pay for a new soccer pitch for his school with funds raised from the auction of 49 pairs of Ronaldo’s soccer boots.
“To train on a pitch built with help from the biggest star in the world ... these kids from our rural county will be the most blessed young fans in the country,” Lyu said.