French coach kicks the ball in for Sanya youth soccer

HAIKOU — As evening sets in, the lights at the Sanya Football Park flicker on one by one. On the pitch, a coach completes a short warm-up session, then stands and signals for training to continue. Nearby, several children gather around, listening intently.

This is French coach Sebastien Brevot-Choplin's third year working in Sanya in South China's Hainan province, where he has been focusing on youth soccer training.

Brevot-Choplin previously served as technical director for the French champion team Paris Saint-Germain and has spent many years working in youth soccer development. His career has taken him to Egypt, Lebanon, Thailand, Morocco, and Canada.

"I have always worked with young players," he notes.

"That is where soccer really begins."

As his career progressed, Brevot-Choplin began to consider settling down and continuing his work in one place. "For me, China represents the ultimate project and the culmination of my career," he adds.

After learning more about Hainan from a business partner, he chose Sanya.

"The climate and lifestyle here remind me of the Cote d'Azur in France, where I lived for many years," he says.

"More importantly, I saw opportunities to do real work in youth soccer."

Now based in Yazhou Bay, Brevot-Choplin runs a sports company dedicated to youth soccer training and cooperates with several schools. Over the past three years, he has worked closely with them to develop training programs in Sanya. "The children here have a lot of energy and potential," he says.