TAIYUAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- "Team Dawn! Let's go!"
At the sound of the whistle, six pairs of little hands stacked atop their coach's before instantly separating. The girls rushed onto the handball court, each quickly taking up her position.
At 10 a.m., a friendly match was underway at the First Central Kindergarten of Dongguan Town in Qixian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Two teams of six boys and six girls competed in a 16-minute handball game.
Amid cheers from spectators, the children passed the ball swiftly, accelerated into fast breaks, and leaped into the air for shots. Despite being under six years old, the young players displayed remarkable determination and resilience.
The match reflects the growing popularity of handball in Qixian, where the sport has been promoted countywide for three years.
In March 2023, Qixian designated four kindergartens as pilot schools, introducing handball through outdoor games.
By September of the same year, all 44 public and private kindergartens, 33 primary schools and 6 junior middle schools across the county had incorporated handball into their physical education programs.
"For quite a long time, the only place in Shanxi that kept handball alive was the Jinzhong Sports School," recalled Zhu Yajun, head of the Youth Development Committee of the Shanxi Handball Association.
Today, however, handball has become an optional event in the physical education examination for senior high school admission in the area, greatly boosting enthusiasm for the sport among schools.
In June this year, the 25th IHF Women's U20 Handball World Championship was held in Jinzhong, attracting enthusiastic crowds and nearly full venues throughout the tournament, underscoring the sport's growing popularity in the city.
Once a niche sport, handball has regained vitality on campuses across Shanxi and emerged as a new force in China's school sports development.
To date, 10 of Shanxi's 11 prefecture-level cities have launched handball programs. Qixian has established a countywide handball league, with outstanding school teams selected annually to compete in national tournaments.
The handball boom is also spreading across China.
Schools in Guangdong, Fujian and other regions of China have introduced handball courses and established pathways for students to continue the sport through higher levels of education.
Universities in Beijing, Anhui and Heilongjiang have also formed handball teams to compete in national collegiate leagues.
In June 2026, the 38th Chinese University Handball Championship was held in Chuzhou, Anhui Province, bringing together 34 teams from 27 universities. Nearly 600 athletes competed in the event.
Safety, fun and ease of learning have made handball especially attractive to preschool children.
"Compared with basketball and football, handball features faster-paced attacks and higher scoring efficiency," said Cheng Jiabin, a handball coach at the First Central Kindergarten of Dongguan Town. "Children enjoy the excitement of fast breaks and frequent shooting, which provide immediate feedback and keep them highly engaged."
Regular participation in sports has also helped many Chinese children overcome challenges such as timidity, lack of confidence and hyperactivity. Through team sports, these issues are often gradually alleviated.
Li Shangkun, a senior kindergarten pupil and goalkeeper on the school team, initially faced hesitation from his parents, who worried about the position's physical demands.
But after watching him stand his ground fearlessly against incoming shots during matches, they were deeply moved by his courage and perseverance. They now look forward to attending his games.
According to the Chinese Handball Association, more than 1,000 primary and secondary schools nationwide have introduced handball programs. As kindergarten handball has expanded in regions including Guangdong, Beijing and Guizhou in recent years, increasing numbers of preschool children have begun participating in the sport.
The association has organized the National Kindergarten Handball Carnival Invitational Tournament for three consecutive years, attracting nearly 100 teams from across the country.
"We hope that more children will fall in love with handball, embrace sports, and benefit from lifelong participation in physical activity," a representative of the Chinese Handball Association said. ■
