Sebastien Brevot-Choplin instructs players and sits on a beach in Sanya, Hainan. Zhang Liyun/Xinhua
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.
Sebastien Brevot-Choplin instructs players and sits on a beach in Sanya, Hainan. ZHANG LIYUN/XINHUA
During a training break, he invited a 7-year-old boy to demonstrate a dribbling move. The technique was basic, but Brevot-Choplin nodded in encouragement.
"Soccer is not only about competition," he explains.
"It helps children build confidence, learn discipline, and understand teamwork."
Brevot-Choplin says working with young players in China is fundamentally the same as working elsewhere. "Soccer is a game of observation," he points out. "You need to watch and understand. You don't need many words."
Using a few simple Chinese instructions, he communicates smoothly with his players on the field.
While visiting partner schools, Brevot-Choplin noticed that many campuses have soccer pitches and teams, but few opportunities for regular competitions. "Matches are very important," he stresses. "More games and more exchanges help players improve faster."
He has since promoted the idea of a local school soccer championship and invited youth teams from other cities to train and play in Sanya. Last summer, a youth team from Beijing took part in joint training sessions.
Brevot-Choplin adds that his work has been supported by services available in the Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City. "What attracted me to Sanya was its friendly environment for foreign entrepreneurs," he says, citing the convenience of registration and daily operations.
Looking ahead, he hopes to expand youth soccer programs, support school competitions, and train more local coaches.
"Children in Sanya must continue to dream of soccer," he says.
"If one day more Chinese players stand on the world stage, I will be proud to know I was part of that process."
