"Basketball Dream" in the Mountains (Watch)

Referring to teacher Fan Qingang (see the picture above, first from the right, photographed by Wang Hongjiang), Li Youping said: "Teacher Fei not only taught us a sport, but also changed the trajectory of everyone's life. "In the second year of junior high school, I began to participate in the school women's basketball training, and then I was admitted to Sichuan Yibin College to study basketball, and then I returned to Yibin City to teach physical education in Junlian County... At an important node in Li Youping's life for more than ten years, every step has the mark of basketball.

And all this stemmed from the no-threshold selection in 2005.

He is less than one meter seven and has a classic pair of brown glasses. When I first met Fan Qingang, it was difficult for people to associate him with basketball...

In 1992, Fan Qingang, who had just graduated from the Normal School, was assigned to the Artemisia Town Center School in Junlian County as a Chinese teacher. Fan Qingang usually likes to play basketball, and he found that girls in mountainous areas rarely exercise and their physical fitness is relatively poor. Fan Qinggang wanted to set up a women's basketball team, so that girls can have one more sports hobby and can also enhance their physique.

In 2005, Fan Qingang reported this idea to the school leaders and received support from the school. "You can go to training as long as you want. Let the children get the joy of growing up and the opportunity to become talents because of basketball. Fan Qingang said.

Li Youping, who was in the second year of junior high school at that time, was one of them. Because he was not tall, Li Youping thought he had no chance, "One day, I suddenly saw my name on the blackboard, and I was very excited. Li Youping said.

It is not easy to establish a rural women's basketball team: some teachers and parents do not understand and think that practicing basketball delays learning; the school only has cement courts and rubber basketballs, which are barely enough for students to use; from basketball enthusiasts to basketball coaches, as Fan Qingang also needs to learn a lot...

Once he made up his mind, he was never discouraged. "We practiced after class in the evening. I also practice during winter and summer vacations and on weekends. Zhang Fuyu, who is now a physical education teacher at Weixin Middle School in Junlian County, recalled that since taking everyone to practice basketball, Fan Qingang has never completely taken a weekend off.

On the basketball court, on one side are fourteen or fifteen-year-old female students, on the other side are female faculty members in their twenties and thirties, passing, catching, shooting, and entering! This was the first time in September 2006 that the artemisia Town Center School women's basketball team had just been training for a year. The children won the precinct all the way, walked into the county seat, and participated in the final. The moment he stood on the podium became an unforgettable memory of Li Youping.

Behind the victory is a year of full and arduous training. On the cement field of the central school, Li Youping, Zhang Fuyu and others slapped the rubber basketball to the point of peeling. "From not even being able to dribble, to running the whole field, that year, Teacher Fei took us to practice, and everyone practiced cocoons on their hands." Li Youping said.

In 2007, the basketball team participated in the Yibin Secondary School Students' Games for the first time. After fierce fighting, Shan Liwa won the championship. "Take the kids to the podium and let them see what's possible in them." Fan Qingang said.

In 2007, after the study and decision of the Education Bureau of Junlian County, the main force of the rural women's basketball team of Artemisia Town Center School could be recruited into the Junglian County Middle School as a sports student.

Li Youping still remembers that one noon after entering high school, Fan Qin just sat on the bus for more than an hour and went to the county middle school to visit the first women's basketball players who had been promoted.

"We changed into our former uniforms and ate with Teacher Fei." Li Youping said that after the meal, looking at the back of Fan Qin's just left, everyone stood at the school gate and did not want to leave. After a while, they received a text message from Fan Qingang: "You must study hard and strive for better development." At that moment, the students moistened their eyes...

"For example, two-handed passing can be divided into chest, head, and bounce balls from the angle of the shot..." Fan Qin just said while demonstrating the chest passing action. A professional skills training session for physical education teachers from primary and secondary schools in Junlian County was held at artemisia town center school. At this time, Fan Qingang's identity was already the principal of the county amateur sports school. The first thing he did after taking office was to select and cultivate excellent sports reserve forces throughout the county. This, of course, includes basketball.

In the past 17 years, more than 300 people have set off from the women's basketball team of Artemisia Town Center School to a broader world. A while ago, Fan Qin just returned to the Artemisia Town Center School and saw the latest women's basketball players wearing uniform uniforms and standing neatly on the basketball court. He said affectionately: "I hope you can all get out of the mountains and out of a more exciting life trajectory!" Li Youping's "sister of the master" will also return to his alma mater to communicate with the "sisters". More than ten years ago, Li Youping had to use the lights under the teaching staff building every evening to practice the ball for a while. At that time, she may not have thought that she could later appear in front of the new women's basketball students as a basketball physical education teacher...

People's Daily ( 2022-01-20 06 edition)