Ice hockey picks up steam among Gen Z

Like a warrior in armor, Chen Yuchen, had his eyes glued to the fast-moving tiny ball as he stood in front of the goal line to defend against any possible attack.

Over the past six years, the 12-year-old has grown from a novice into a first stringer in ice hockey after joining a primary school team in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Winter sports, riding the wave of the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, have gained steam across China, attracting millions of people to savor the fun and charm of ice and snow.

"Over the past few years, I've seen the growing popularity of winter sports. More kids are joining the sport and ice hockey clubs have become common in schools," said Li Jianmin, an experienced ice hockey coach in Shenyang.

In December 2021, Shenyang held the first inter-school ice hockey league, attracting 220 young players in 22 teams from primary and secondary schools.

Li said that ice hockey has become a go-to activity for many parents looking to get their children into outdoor sports.

"As a team sport, ice hockey is not only beneficial for physical development but also helps cultivate the spirit of hard work and a sense of teamwork," he added.

"Burning Ice," a movie aired on Jan. 7 in China featuring the life and dream of three young ice hockey players, also mirrors the great fervency Chinese have shown in participating in winter sports.

In the Fushan District of Yantai City, east China's Shandong Province, over 7,000 primary school students have participated in ice and snow sports over the past three years. "Since taking up the sport, I've grown stronger and more cooperative," said Liu Qinrui, a second grader.

Even in regions that hardly see any snow, such sporting activities are gaining steam.

Mingguang primary school in east China's Anhui Province has built an ice hockey team and an outdoor roller skating rink to facilitate their training.

In Shicheng County, east China's Jiangxi Province, the ice hockey training hall offers free-of-charge entry to primary and secondary school students, with various competitions held throughout the year among the 10 plus youth ice hockey teams.

Peng Junda's team won fourth place at a national-level youth ice hockey competition held recently. "We practice three times a week," said the 10-year-old from Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province.

"I've been playing ice hockey for four years and have become increasingly engrossed in the sport," said Peng.