On the ground

In 2013, driven by the desire to instill a lifelong love for sports in the younger generation, Chen established the China Floorball Development Center. That same year, armed with 20 floorball sticks sponsored by a Shanghai nonprofit group, she began on a journey to Bangzhai Primary School, nestled amid the mountains in Qingzhen in Southwest China's Guizhou province.

"The teachers' average age was above 45 and there was no professional sports teacher or playground," Chen said, referring to the dearth of sports personnel and facilities experienced by many rural schools.

"Some pupils even have to walk to school for as long as an hour, and although they get exercise, some principals don't see the need to introduce new sports," she said.

A trial game was held in front of Bangzhai's school principal surnamed Liu, who was deeply moved by the enthusiasm and joy he saw on the rural children's faces. The young players used their sticks to chase a small plastic ball, transforming the earthen school grounds into a makeshift court, with two flowerpots serving as goalposts.

Bangzhai became the first primary school of its kind to embrace floorball in rural China. In 2016, Chen made a bold decision to depart from SISU after 16 years and start the Vikings Floorball Club, with a focus on training young people and coaches in the basics of the sport.

"Many thought I was crazy for leaving a stable teaching job," she said. "But I wanted to do more. We've been exploring ways to engage Chinese children in physical activity, especially within limited spaces. Floorball fits the bill as it's suitable for all ages and can be played anywhere, including rural China."

Fu Chuguo, a floorball coach at Kangshengzhuang Center Primary School in Linqing, East China's Shandong province, said: "Floorball is interesting, fast-paced with less physical confrontation, and requires minimal equipment, making it very suitable for pupils as a preparation to ice hockey."

Hu Shengyi, a former student of the school, skilled in both winger and defender positions, was once the star player of the floorball 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.