Training camps are full of ＂seconds of light＂ and there are endless groups of golfers. Is it enough to be a ＂online celebrity＂ for flag football？

"I feel lucky to be here. I was a few seconds late to sign up at that time, and I’m afraid the quota will be gone …"

　Last weekend, 50 students went all out to complete the two-day "Devil Training Camp" in the Sports Park of Tihui+Hongguan, Minhang District, which was called "Shanghai Rugby Resort" by many rugby fans. Wang Peihao, a 25-year-old Shanghai boy, was one of them.

After successfully concluding the camp, Xiao Wang said that he was not only lucky, but also more rewarding. "What I learned here will be brought to my friends so that everyone can better participate in the flag football."

This flag football training camp named "Apple Seed Project" actually has a lot to offer-as one of the "stepping stones" for nfl professional football leagues to enter China, it has a history of 19 years. From inviting students to "play" for free at first, it is hard to get a ticket now. It can be said that with the new development opportunities of flag football in China, this "seed" finally reveals new green and is expected to blossom and bear fruit.

Set the alarm clock to grab tickets for "devil training camp"

It is no exaggeration to call it a "devil training camp".

Since its birth in that year, the nfl flag Apple Seed Program has been aimed at cultivating excellent waist flag football coaches and referees nationwide, so even though the training camp last weekend was only "entry-level", both the teaching content and requirements were very strict-from the most basic ball-taking action to the specifications of different positions such as quarterback, center, running forward and receiver; From the detailed explanation of posture, to the tactical arrangement of the game, the norms and rhythm of the referee’s penalty … The two-day training camp, from morning till night, with the record high temperature in Shencheng, can be said to have drained all the energy of the students. "Our clothes have almost never been done!" A student said with a smile.

　 　It’s hard to imagine that such a hard "trial" has been robbed of places. Wang Peihao told reporters, "When I saw the news of the opening of the camp, my first reaction was to judge that the number of places would definitely be’ second light’, so I set the alarm clock one week in advance. As expected, several of my friends were more than 20 seconds late in signing up, so I couldn’t report it!"

　 　It is understood that the training camp has already made four stops in other cities across the country, namely Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Xi ‘an and Chengdu. The registration fee of 2680 yuan, almost all places are "second light". Asked why they signed up, several students said this sentence-"Now the flag football is on the wind!"

What is the "window" of flag football?

　"I am happy to see so many people like flag football!" No one feels more deeply about the "tuyere" in the students’ mouths than Zhou Xiaohua.

　For two days, 43-year-old Zhou Xiaohua dragged his cold body, ran back and demonstrated his movements in the scorching sun, and kept shouting at the top of his voice. In the end, he almost lost his voice.

　As the head coach of the training camp, Lao Zhou is actually the "senior brother" of all the students-NFL China organized and held the "Apple Seed Program" training camp in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for the first time in 2003, and it was through this that Zhou Xiaohua, who was studying at Shanghai Institute of Physical Education, first came into contact with the waist flag football project. At that time, Zhou Xiaohua was deeply attracted by this sport and began to devote himself to it. Later, nfl China organized junior high school flag football leagues and college students’ flag football leagues in China. He was the "leader" among them, just as Lao Zhou said, "We are the first generation of flag football players in China".

　In Lao Zhou’s view, these students are now in a completely different state of mind from when he participated in the training camp. "We were just curious and interested in that year, and most of the contact with flag football was passive and tentative. But now these students, all with clear goals, are eager to embrace the flag football … "Lao Zhou couldn’t help feeling," The mass base of the flag football now is beyond our imagination. "

　This can be seen from the composition of the participants in the training camp. It is understood that most of the students are in charge of the flag football community. At present, there are a large number of such communities in major cities, gathering a large number of flag football fans. These communities organize group members to participate in offline training and competitions every week. This has formed a stable circle. Even if the sport itself is not mentioned, it is only regarded as a fashionable social activity to gain a sense of belonging, and it is still attractive to young people. However, it is an indisputable fact that qualified coaches are the core of a community, which is also the purpose of these group owners to participate in the training camp. "I hope to convey the correct training methods, rules and competition system to the fans of flag football, otherwise it will be a misunderstanding." A "group master student" said.

In addition, there are some coaches from sports training institutions among the students. Driven by the market, they are also trying to transform, hoping to carry out sports training business with more "money". A student told the author with confidence that the coach resources of waist flag football are in short supply in Shanghai at present. "Many institutions, including some league construction companies, are looking for coaches, but in fact, the number of people with teaching qualifications and teaching ability is very limited."

In addition, there are school teachers and college students-teachers can create interest courses around flag football when they return to school through professional training; College students can form a flag football club.

Where people chase, there is a market. If there is a market, there will be more people chasing it. All this is an intuitive embodiment of the "window".

Take a step ahead and lead the country.

　 　Indeed, the flag football has given people a feeling in the past two years: it has changed from unfamiliar to familiar, too fast. Few people know that nfl China and a group of rugby players have silently nurtured it for nearly 20 years.

　 　This is not difficult to explain: in the increasingly international metropolis, the change of contemporary young people’s life concept and the in-depth implementation of the national strategy of national fitness have provided fertile growth soil for this sport. With the help of social platforms such as Little Red Book, it can gain traffic in a short time and become a new online celebrity movement.

　 　But after all, social platforms can only be used as a pusher, but they can’t be a real grasper of a sport. In the face of the rapid growth of novice players, whether waist flag rugby can grasp the rare historical opportunity depends on whether a series of real problems can be solved-whether there is a stable sports venue, and then a benchmark "rugby resort" is born, making this sport one of the city’s business cards; Whether it is possible to build a brand that is both public-oriented and professional, and finally move towards commercial operation; Whether there are enough qualified coaches and referees to meet the needs of fans from "white" to "specialization" …

　 In Shanghai, the city with the earliest rugby acceptance and the strongest rugby atmosphere in China, a group of professionals and people with lofty ideals have been laid out. They are not only one step ahead of schedule, but also hope to lead the country.

　 It is understood that the nfl flag Apple Seed Program was jointly sponsored by Shanghai Rugby Association and nfl China. They gathered a group of "old wizards" who love rugby and are willing to contribute, and "toured the country" for the purpose of promotion rather than profit, providing the most professional training courses to the public. They also publicize through grounded channels such as new media and communities to expand their influence. It can be said that at present, the training system of waist flag rugby talents in Shanghai has been initially formed.

　 What’s more worth mentioning is that the venue of the "Apple Seed Project" training camp in Shanghai, Tihui+,has reached a long-term cooperation intention with the Shanghai Rugby Association. They hope to make use of their own venue resources and the advantages of a comprehensive service platform to build a "rugby resort" in Shanghai in the future. "From the data of venue reservation, we found that Shanghai residents are very keen on the new sports with multiple attributes such as fitness, leisure, entertainment, social interaction, etc. It is our main goal at this stage to make every effort to build an urban sports center that meets the fitness needs of ordinary people. The strategic layout of cooperation with Shanghai Rugby Association also fits the corporate brand mission of’ healthy life and happy friends’." The relevant person in charge of "Body Exchange+"said.

　 　The author also learned that Hongqiao Town, Minhang District also plans to focus on flag football, gather regional characteristics, guide and support social forces such as sports social organizations, and create brand events that the people love. "Sports Hongqiao" is a business card of the regional party building in Hongqiao Town. Guided by the party building, it actively meets the spiritual needs of enterprises and the masses, gives full play to the innovative advantages of the grassroots party building mechanism, and adopts a brand-new competition mode of "government building, enterprises singing opera and the whole people participating", which has been widely recognized by the citizens in recent years and has produced a wide range of social influence.

　 　The flag-waist rugby has become a candidate event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games through social media pictures and videos. However, it is undeniable that this sport is still a very minority sport. What he needs most now is a real, healthy and sustainable environment. The rugby people in Shanghai are also going all out on this right road.

Editor-in-Chief: Chen Hua

Author: Yao Qinyi