"Shaanxi soccer is an important jigsaw puzzle in China's soccer field, is the hometown of the Northwest Wolves, enjoys the reputation of China's women's football pioneers ...... Shaanxi Football Allsvenskan's past also has a lot of behind-the-scenes stories, and I've been wanting to publish this book to dedicate it to each and every Shaanxi soccer player, and now it's finally come true! " Recently, the journey: Shaanxi Football All Games past 1959-2021 officially published and distributed, the author Gao Chen said with emotion.
The book was published because of a love affair with soccer
Shaanxi soccer is like the thousands of years of exciting history of Sanqin, with an interesting memory behind every event, every person, and every game. Gao Chen, the author of the journey, recalls, "Many years ago, when I was in elementary school, I heard people around me mentioning stories about the Shaanxi men's soccer team participating in the first six National Games and the Shaanxi women's soccer team winning many tournaments. I even went into St. Jude's with my family and cheered for Shaanxi soccer. Many years later, when I wanted to look back at the highlights of Shaanxi soccer in the past, I found it difficult to find works that recorded this valuable historical information and lacked the documentation to organize these stories in order. So from then on, I had the idea of writing a history of Shaanxi soccer."
Gao Chen worked as a reporter and wrote for soccer clubs, soccer weekly magazines, etc. On a sunny afternoon in 2020, as a reporter, he discussed with Xu Zhiyong, the director of the provincial football management center at Zhang Bashi Base, and expressed his desire to write about soccer works in Shaanxi. After hearing Director Xu's words, he immediately expressed his support. Since then, Gao Chen's identity has changed. He changed from a frontline reporter following Shaanxi soccer's north-south battles to a staff member of the Shaanxi Soccer Association so that he could personally experience Shaanxi soccer before and after. Gao Chen said excitedly, "Over the past two years, through interviews with nearly 100 Shaanxi soccer seniors, and with the help of his colleagues and friends in the organization, the book was finally completed, and it came from their own soccer complex."
A look back at the stormy journey of all-conference soccer
The National Games is a comprehensive sports event with the longest history, the most frequent organization, and the largest scale and influence in China. It plays an important leadership role in sports development and represents the highest level of China's various competitive sports programs. Before soccer was professionalized, the All-China Football Games was the highest level of soccer competition in China, and the preparation for the All-China Football Games greatly promoted the development of soccer in all provinces and cities. Therefore, the splendor of Shaanxi soccer began with the National Games, Shaanxi soccer began with the National Games, and the future of Shaanxi soccer is also closely related to the National Games.
JOURNEY: Shaanxi Soccer All Games Past 1959-2021 chronicles the 62-year history of Shaanxi All Games soccer in a non-fiction format. Taking the development of Shaanxi men's and women's soccer as the main clue, it recreates the past events and details of Shaanxi soccer in all the National Games, the glories and struggles, the successes and failures. From 1959 when Shaanxi men's soccer team participated in the first National Games to 1987 when Shaanxi women's soccer team participated in the sixth National Games, the author reviews in detail the exploration and development course of Shaanxi soccer from scratch, and takes Shaanxi soccer's historic breakthrough in the 14th National Games as an opportunity to promote the construction of Shaanxi's soccer culture to a new peak through this book. Gao Chen spoke, "I don't want this book to be a household name and known by everyone, but I hope that this book can restore history and let more people understand the stormy history of Shaanxi soccer."
Big names in the industry praise the journey
Once the journey was published and distributed, it immediately caused a strong reaction in the Shaanxi soccer circle. Many big names have praised it. Gao Hong, the former main goalkeeper of Chinese women's soccer team and a famous player of Shaanxi women's soccer team, said excitedly after reading the book: "The history of Shaanxi soccer is the history of struggle, and Shaanxi is the birthplace of Chinese women's soccer team.For more than 40 years, the sweat and tears of countless soccer players have coalesced together to realize today's glory. I am fortunate to live in such a collective and am grateful; I am fortunate to have received the best soccer education here and am grateful; and I am honored to be teammates with a group of women's soccer players who share the same love and talent. Thank you Shaanxi!"
Liu Huana, the former main defender of Chinese women's soccer team and now the head coach of Shaanxi adult women's soccer team, spoke: "Shaanxi women's soccer team created history and refreshed the best results in the 14th National Games. This book records all the leaders, coaches, players and staff who have contributed to Shaanxi soccer, and moreover reflects the morale of our Shaanxi women's soccer team which is tenacious, energetic, overcoming difficulties, daring and courageous."
Ke Xingping, honorary president of the Shaanxi Fans Association, also praised, "I have witnessed the development of Shaanxi soccer over the decades from the first National Games to the 14th National Games. Thanks to the author, this book takes me back to the glorious years of Shaanxi soccer. Don't forget your proactive mindset, always, I believe Shaanxi soccer will be better tomorrow."
