Little learners leap into fitter future

Summer-camp boom highlights shifting priorities

JINAN－Despite being aged just 9, Zhang Yimeng has already been fencing for over three years with a club in Jinan, the capital of Shandong province.

The training does not come cheap, with Zhang's parents shelling out 8,800 yuan (about $1,265) annually for the course. That does not include expenses for travel, accommodation and uniforms when he participates in competitions away from home.

"We are glad that Yimeng has become more independent and confident after fencing for nearly four years. It's all worth it," said his father Zhang Kan, adding that he will encourage his younger daughter to fence too when she turns 5.

Zhang Yimeng's story mirrors the boom in China's sports training industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a broader awareness of the importance of exercise, with more and more Chinese parents choosing sports courses for their kids during this summer's vacation.

Twelve-year-old Yang Yu enrolled in swimming, diving and ski courses this summer, compared with only swimming last year.

"Exercising with friends is more effective than staying at home. More importantly, exercise makes me gain less weight," she told Xinhua after finishing a session on a ski simulator.

Courses range in price from 1,000 yuan to over 10,000 yuan. Yang's ski lessons, for example, cost 1,380 yuan for a three-day summer camp; a five-day camp costs 1,680 yuan. Her swimming courses are priced at 1,500 yuan for 12 classes in a 5-person program, and 1,800 yuan for 10 one-on-one classes. Yang's parents have, therefore, spent a sizable 5,000 yuan on their daughter's physical education this summer.

Fencing, sailing and equestrian courses are more expensive than ball sports and swimming. On the website of "Happy Summer Camp", sailing courses can set parents back anything from 4,980 yuan to 17,760 yuan.

Wang Zongping, a professor with Nanjing University of Science and Technology, noted that many parents have no problem paying for their children to be academically tutored, but then fall short in guiding their kids in terms of physical education.

Nowadays, though, an increasing number of parents want their kids to exercise safely and professionally, so are willing to spend big on physical education.

In a survey published by the People's Bank of China in early July, respondents were asked what they planned to spend more on in the following three months, with education (29.8 percent) topping the list ahead of medical care (28.3 percent).

With many families scrapping travel plans this summer due to the epidemic, the number of students who have enrolled in sports courses or have been exercising independently has risen by about 20 percent, according to another survey.

"Statistics showed that swimming is still the most popular sport as it can make your heart and lungs strong, followed by ball games and taekwondo," said Wang Zongping.

As well table tennis, 10-year-old Wang Yuelin took a one-on-one course in backstroke after getting the hang of breaststroke.

"Swimming is a life skill and keeps me fit, so I decided to learn more strokes," said Wang Yuelin.

Wang's coach, Zhang Jingjing, has been in the swimming training business for nearly 10 years. She said about 170 kids have enrolled in her club this summer, a considerable increase from last year.

"There is a limit on the number of swimmers because of the new protocols to contain the virus. The one-on-one courses will only be available after mid-August," said Zhang.

According to the Annual Report on Chinese Children's Development (2019), 58 percent of kids participate in extra-curricular courses during summer vacation, with sports courses ranking third in terms of participation numbers. Math is the most popular ahead of artistic pursuits, which includes the likes of painting and dancing.

Xin Tingzhong, a professional taekwondo and kung fu coach for 18 years in Jinan, predicts that sports training will further flourish in the post-coronavirus era.

"Many parents nowadays value their kids' all-round development, especially their character-building through sports," Xin said.

"So in the future we are going to see them spend more on sports."