Football “Gesang Flowers” Bloom at the Source of the Yellow River

Xinhua News Agency, Xining, September 2 (Reporters Li Linhai, Wang Jinjin, Wang Zihan) For 14-year-old Tibetan girl Cai Baga, football not only allows her to make many like-minded friends, but also allows her to walk out of the mountains and see a wider world.

Cai Baga lives in Jiaqiao Village, Qiuzhi Township, Qumalei County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The county is the core area of the Yangtze River Source Park of Sanjiangyuan National Park. The average altitude is over 4,500 meters and it has a typical high-altitude and cold climate.

On the grassland of Qumarlei County, children run freely chasing the football, and the quiet grassland becomes lively.

Cai Baga is a football student at Qinghai Sports School. She is the second of four children in her family. She started playing football at the age of 12 and often competed with her younger brother Gerjia.

“I have good physical strength. When I was playing football, I would touch my brother, who was two years younger than me, with my shoulder and he would fall down immediately.” Talking about these interesting past events, the cheerful Cai Baga covered her mouth and laughed.

Cai Baga has learned a lot since she came to Xining from her hometown to study. The high-intensity physical training and professional football skills training every day have made her football skills more comprehensive. When it is late at night, she will miss home. “Sometimes I miss the yak beef and butter tea cooked by my mother, but when I am with my classmates in my hometown, I feel less lonely.”

Baimaramao, a fair-skinned man, is Cai Baga’s best friend. He lives in Yuegai Town, Qumarlei County, and is also a student majoring in football at Qinghai Sports School.

Baimalamao said that she used to think football was just a boy’s sport, but after she fell in love with football, she also enjoyed the feeling of running on the green field.

At present, 17 girls including Baimalamao and Cai Baga have formed the Qumarlei women’s football team, and all of them have been selected to study at the provincial sports school.

With the support of the counterpart aid project in Qinghai, the children’s learning and training are better guaranteed.

Dong Zhu, deputy secretary of the Qumalai County Party Committee and deputy county magistrate, who is on a temporary assignment from the State Energy Group, said that at the end of 2022, the State Energy Group and the Qumalai County Government will work together to launch the “Dreaming at the Source of the Yellow River – Training Program for Young Players” youth football charity project. Through cooperation with high-level youth training clubs, the Qumalai County Youth Training Center was established, and football was popularized in 13 primary and secondary schools in Qumalai County by introducing professional coaching teams and participating in competitions.

“With the efforts of all parties, by developing Qumalai’s football-themed education, children will have more opportunities to study and develop their careers, and the seeds of dreams and hard work will be planted in their hearts,” said Dong Zhu.

The team’s coach Du Guoqing is a professional football player. He said with emotion that many children have become close friends because of football. During their training and competitions, they have seen a whole new world. “For many children, it is their first time to take a plane and stay in a hotel. The outside world is both new and challenging for them.”

“A football and a group of friends have woven the childhood of the children in Qumarlei. Although these children are young, they are able to endure hardships and are willing to make sacrifices. Under the scorching sun, they are like strong Gesang flowers, blooming beautifully,” said Du Guoqing.