China News Agency, Fuzhou, September 12th: "Blind Messi" Wang Yafeng: Taking children to dream in the dark
China News Agency reporter Lin Chunyin
Wang Yafeng is fondly called "Messi in the blind world" by fans.
He was born in a mountain village in Yongtai County, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province in 1990. He was born blind, and his parents were farming.
It was not until he was sent to the Fuzhou School for the Blind by relatives at the age of 8 that he walked out of the mountains for the first time.
The picture shows that on September 7, Wang Yafeng (second from left) instructed blind students to play football at the football field of the blind school.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Dongming
At the Fuzhou School for the Blind, Wang Yafeng became the first generation of blind football players in China.
He followed the Chinese Men's Blind Football Team and won a silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, a gold medal in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Paralympic Games, a third place in the 2010 Blind World Cup, and five consecutive Asian Championships.
In 2016, after retiring, Wang Yafeng returned to Fuzhou School for the Blind as the coach of the campus football team.
At present, Wang Yafeng's most important task is to train a football-loving team.
The picture shows that on September 8, Wang Yafeng (first from the right) instructed blind students to play football at the football field of the blind school.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Dongming
The youngest of these blind students is 9 years old and the oldest is 18 years old.
When it comes to the biggest difficulty in playing football, they said in unison, "I'm afraid."
Wang Yafeng explained to a reporter from China News Agency: "After staying in the dark for a long time, moving and running are all unfamiliar, and the fear caused by uncontrollable is the biggest psychological obstacle."
The picture shows on September 7, Wang Yafeng (first from the left) instructed blind students to play football at the football field of the blind school.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Dongming
Wang Yafeng often mentions his mentor and coach Zou Hongmou.
He recalled that in 2005, when the blindfoot in China started, the training conditions were limited. Coach Zou, as the first-generation blindfoot coach who led the team, created many "firsts".
Zou Hongmou sewed the first football with a bell by himself; he dismantled the bed board as a fence for the training ground; there was no turf training ground at that time, so Coach Zou and the players were crawling and rolling on the concrete floor together, and asked the players to put their hands on their legs and feet Perception of movement, broken skin and injuries are common.
"Behind every 'first time', coach Zou told us countless times, 'try again, don't be afraid'." Wang Yafeng said.
Wu Shuying, who was the principal of the Fuzhou School for the Blind at the time, told a reporter from China News Agency that she admired Wang Yafeng's stunt - being able to take three steps backwards, kick the ball with big feet, and shoot volleys.
Finding the ball without sound and accurately calculating the point of focus and angle requires great directional ability and absolute confidence, but also means hard daily training.
In 2015, the 9th National Paralympic Games was held in Chengdu, Sichuan. The battle was fierce. Wang Yafeng was injured and two front teeth were broken, and his mouth was full of blood.
At the final penalty kick, he still played this "lore".
Wu Shuying recalled that she couldn't hide her excitement: "At that time, when the stadium was quiet, he took a mouthful of cotton wool, took three steps back, started, and shot! The goal was scored! Fujian won!"
Today, Wang Yafeng, like Zou Hongmou back then, treats children as if he were his own.
Under his guidance, 4 players have been selected for the Blindfoot Fujian Provincial Team.
The 18-year-old Zhang Jiasong fought alongside Wang Yafeng at the 11th National Paralympic Games last year.
"Entering the school for the blind and playing football with Teacher Wang are the two most important things in my life." said Zhang Jiasong from Sichuan, "I feel that there is hope and dreams in a dark life."
In China, more and more visually impaired people have more career options.
In addition to massage for the blind, you can also work as a piano tuner, stenographer, Internet interactive service visually impaired experiencer, sports coach, and even a lawyer.
Wu Shuying hopes that blind football will become a popular sport from a competitive sport.
"I hope Yafeng will pass on the sports spirit of love and hard work and never give up to more blind people." She said, "Tell the children that their future is not limited to blind massage."
Wang Yafeng also said: "Let children play football, not only to cultivate excellent athletes, but also hope that sports can strengthen the body, cultivate the quality of will, and let them laugh from the heart." (End)