The Century-Old Prestigious School Cup: "Rather Win Fewer Championships, Send More Students to College!" — The Educational Commitment of Hefei No.1 High School

Zuo Rui reporting from Qingdao The third "Century-Old Prestigious School Cup" senior high school division continued its intense competition in Qingdao. In a Glory Group quarterfinal that concluded on the 4th, Hefei No.1 High School, participating for the third time, showcased its prowess and beat Jinan No.1 High School 7-0.

In the group stage, Hefei No.1 scored 7 goals, but in the quarterfinal they unleashed their full attacking power, netting another 7 goals. With 14 goals in total, they have become the highest-scoring team in the tournament so far. Earlier, they defeated Guangzhou Peizheng High School, Chongqing No.7 High School, and the host Qingdao Preschool Education College, securing the top spot in their group with a perfect record.

According to team leader Xue Shan, Hefei No.1 highly values the unique significance of the "Century-Old Prestigious School Cup." They participate each time with the aim of learning and exchanging, regardless of the outcome or ranking. "Through competitions such as the China Youth Football League, the 'Century-Old Prestigious School Cup,' and the Dongrun Cup, our players' vision, abilities, and team building have all been strengthened," he said.

Beyond competing against different styles and higher-level opponents, Xue Shan also places great importance on inter-school cultural exchange. He gave an example: Guangzhou Peizheng High School wore two different sets of jerseys during warm-up and the match, which was not only more professional but also more humane in the hot weather. "These small details are worth learning and emulating," he added.

It is understood that within Hefei's "631" football progression system—covering primary, junior high, and senior high schools—Hefei No.1 is not the top-tier high school, but it is the highest-ranked and most prestigious school in Anhui Province, attracting the strongest football talent every year. In this year's recruitment, the top 11 football specialty students in the football skill test all chose Hefei No.1.

Xue Shan noted that in addition to hiring A-level coaches from the city team, the school also places great emphasis on the academic performance of football specialty students. "Our team has always adhered to this educational principle: rather than winning one more championship, we would rather send one more student to college." During the annual college entrance exam season, team members often gain admission to top 985 and 211 universities thanks to their strong cultural scores.

Hefei No.1 currently has over 10,000 enrolled students, with football specialty students concentrated in the Binhu campus for study and training. During the "Century-Old Prestigious School Cup," several key players were called up to represent Anhui Province in the provincial games. In Qingdao, each match saw at least three new players who had just graduated from junior high but not yet entered senior high make their debut. "Our football team is also trying to bridge the gap between junior and senior high school education for cultural courses," Xue Shan said.

As with the previous two participations, Hefei No.1 set no performance targets before departing for Qingdao. They place more value on the competitive experience and exchange opportunities provided by the tournament.

In the Glory Group semifinal on the 5th, Hefei No.1 will face another strong local team from Qingdao, Laixi Experimental Middle School (Chasing Youth). Chongqing Fengmingshan High School and Guangzhou Peizheng High School will compete for the other spot in the final.