Girls of the basketball team warm up prior to a trainning session in the school yard at Haoba central school in Junlian County of Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Dec. 8, 2018. Situated in the vast Wumeng Mountains of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Haoba central school is a nine-year school providing primary education and middle school education, just like other schools in this mountain area. However, a basketball team formed by female students made the school quite famous in its township, even in neighboring cities. The team was founded in 2005 by Fan Qingang, a 46-year-old teacher who used to teach Chinese in Haoba central school. As the coach of the team, Fan not only teaches the girls to play basketball but also tries to help them develop a habit of exercising and a healthy life. Up to now, this team has won 10 champion titles in different regional basketball games for middle school students. "I hope that in the future, the students here will be given more opportunities to participate in basketball, football and other sports, because sports will offer them more chances to walk out of the mountains and broaden their horizon," Fan said. (Xinhua/Jia Yuchen)
