More than 30 gold medals were “thrown” out of an old bungalow. I walked into Chongde Middle School and approached——
Judo coach Zhang Ligang’s hardness and softness
Report from our newspaper (Reporter Liang Lingzhi, Correspondent Yang Linlin) The Hangzhou Asian Games has ignited the sports enthusiasm of the Chinese people. In Longkou Town, Xincai County, anyone who meets Zhang Ligang will ask: Are there any team members participating in the Hangzhou Asian Games?
Who is Zhang Ligang?
In the northeast corner of Chongde Middle School in Longkou Town, an ordinary and even shabby bungalow is the club of Zhang Ligang, the school’s physical education teacher and judo coach. Since 2008, more than 100 judo athletes have come out here, winning more than 30 gold medals, more than 50 silver medals, and more than 100 bronze medals! At the 14th Provincial Games that just ended in August this year, team member Chen Zhihao won the men’s +90kg judo competition and was officially hired by the provincial judo team.
“The step-by-step physical education class cannot meet the students’ needs for physical fitness. In addition, the learning and sports conditions in villages and towns are relatively poor. Learning judo can give children another way out, and maybe it will change their destiny…” 43-year-old Zhang Ligang talked about his original intention of establishing a judo club in this way. He served on the national judo team in his early years. After retiring in 2008, he returned to his hometown of Longkou Town and was admitted to Chongde Middle School to teach.
The school vacated a large old bungalow (four small rooms in total) as a training venue. Zhang Ligang bought some clothes and equipment himself. This was the origin of the “Chongde Judo Club”.
Zhang Ligang is worthy of his “strongness”: if there are no team members, he first recruits teachers from his school and the children of his relatives; when he finds good “seedlings”, he goes to the door again and again to mobilize; when he encounters difficulties, he goes to his superiors again and again to win support…
The training is also “rigid”: whatever the standard of the competition field is, the club training will be of the same standard; training in winter and training in summer is a daily routine, no matter how hard and tiring it is, it will come rain or shine.
After ten years of sharpening his sword, he became famous in one day. In 2018, 11 members of the Chongde Judo Club represented the county in the 13th Provincial Games and won 1 gold and 2 bronze medals. In the following years, the team members won gold and silver in the National Youth Games and championships, and Chongde became famous both inside and outside the province.
Zhang Ligang is also “soft”: as long as he is willing to learn judo, tuition is free, and some even give him clothes, equipment, and cash rewards. He not only teaches judo, but also cares about the team members’ study and life. Since 2008, he has spent hundreds of thousands of yuan from his salary just to buy equipment and support team members.
Zhang Ligang’s “proud” student Chen Zhihao was once addicted to gaming. When his parents were desperate, they planned to send him to learn to repair cars to make a living. After learning judo, Zhang Ligang used both soft and hard tactics to help him get rid of his gaming addiction. Two years later (2021), he won the provincial judo championship.
Jia Jingwen, a member of the provincial judo team and a national double-level athlete, also almost dropped out of school: A few years ago, her mother was seriously ill, and Jia Jingwen had the idea of dropping out of school to work. Zhang Ligang bought her clothes, equipment, and nutritional supplements, and encouraged her to study hard and change her destiny. Jia Jingwen lived up to expectations and won six championships in the Provincial Games and the National Youth Games. In September 2020, she was admitted to Zhengzhou University.
Zhang Xiangxiang, Che Yingying, Yang Xueling, Zhang Qiaoqiao, Zhang Furong… In the past 15 years, more than 100 small town girls and rural children have walked out of judo clubs and become registered judo athletes (including more than 60 national second-level and above), and more than 30 After being admitted to Zhengzhou University, 6 people became national coaches and referees.
“We want to participate in the Asian Games and Olympic Games!” Zhang Ligang still has a lot of aspirations for the club.
The gears of fate are still turning slowly, and the sweat flowing in this bungalow will soak into people’s eyes again and again.
2023-10-07 21:16:21
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