At Yunnan club popular with soccer-loving retirees, players in their 40s are youngsters

A soccer club in Southwest China’s Yunnan province has become a sort of home for about 70 players, of whom most are aged over 50, including six 80-year-olds. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

They may not be fast or aggressive on the pitch nowadays, and the offside trap takes longer to spring than usual, but the senior players at Yiyou Soccer Club are all serious about soccer, and that includes some 80-year-olds. Based in downtown Kunming, Yunnan province, the club has a history of more than four decades.

“We have about 70 active players, most of whom are over 50. We have six 80-year-old members, and the oldest player we have is 88,” said club leader Sun Dianyun, a sprightly 66, speaking to China Youth Daily.

Many of the senior players are actually very experienced as they played professionally when they were younger. I still can learn from them. But what touches me the most is their passion for the sport.

He Qingwei, one of the younger players at Yiyou Soccer Club

“We paid ourselves to build the pitch years before for about 90,000 yuan ($13,293). And each week, we hold two training sessions. And now the club has become a sort of home for our senior players.”

According to Sun, the club originated from students at Kunming No 1 High School when he and his friends were still teenagers.

“I still remember many students at our high school loved to play soccer. And to keep that passion and love, we decided to create a club,” Sun said.

“At the very beginning, there were just four people in our club, and I was the youngest. But now I’m the only one left in this world. They all passed away, but we keep our passion for the sport.”

Soccer was the lifetime passion of all four founders of the club. The most high-profile among them was former China international Ma Ke-jian, who also worked for years as an official at the Chinese Football Association. And the other two founders, Gao Zupei and Bai Yunxiang, worked at the local sports departments in Kunming for decades before retirement.

That same passion for soccer is shared by all the club’s members. Among them is 84-year-old Li Chongzhi, who was also an alumnus of the high school.

“I still remember there were two standard pitches at our high school. The first thing for the students after class each day was to rush to the pitches,” said Li, who was a player for the Yunnan provincial team and then became a coach of the Yunnan team.

“Also, PE class was very important to all of us. There are two other 80-year-olds in Yiyou club who were students at our high school; they were also professional soccer players before.”

Sun told China Youth Daily that at the very beginning most members were students and alumni of the high school. But later on, more and more senior soccer lovers joined the club.

“We even participated in the national competitions for seniors. More and more people joined in, and they had different backgrounds such as police officers, physicians and even opera singers. However, most of our members had experience in professional teams when they were young,” said Sun.

“Many of our senior players believe that as long as we can still play, the spirit of Yunnan soccer will remain. The meaning of our group name, Yiyou, was friends from No 1 High School, as the Chinese word yi refers to No 1. But gradually it has changed to just a group of friends who love soccer.”

Eight years ago, the self-funded club built their own five-a-side pitch next to a local market. They even have a “multifunctional” dressing room, which features a kitchen, a shower, a big TV, and even a mahjong table for after-match relaxation.

“Some of our members donated 10,000 yuan and some donated a few hundred yuan. That is how we built this place. We just need to have a place so we can be connected to soccer and each other,” said 81-year-old Chen Xiaokun, who used to be a national-level soccer referee and soccer commentator.

“After training, we cook food here and we eat together. Most of the members who have retired would eat here at the club after training, but those who are still at work would return to their offices.”

As many club members are senior players, safety at training or in competition is the priority. The club has comprehensive regulations. For example, players who are over 70 must wear a green armband. Other players need to avoid, or at least reduce, physical contact with those wearing an armband.

Forty-year-old He Qingwei is one of the youngest in the team, and for him, he has other regulations to consider.

“I have some rules for myself, such as passing more often to the senior players. I used to play here with my dad, and even after he passed away, I still want to come,” said He.

“Many of the senior players are actually very experienced as they played professionally when they were younger. I still can learn from them. But what touches me the most is their passion for the sport.

“What we need for grassroots soccer development is such passion. At the age of 70 or 80, people can still gather together for the sport that we love. Even being able to stand on the pitch is such an amazing achievement. Can I still play at their age? Looking at them, I don’t seem to have a negative answer.”

Contact the writers at shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn