by Xinhua writer Shao Haijun

THE HAGUE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- China has strong potential to become one of the world's leading korfball nations, given the progress the sport has made in the country over the past two decades, while greater emphasis should be placed on a concentration strategy to develop professional korfball, according to senior korfball coach Ben Crum.

Eighty-five-year-old Crum, former head coach of the Dutch national korfball team, introduced korfball to China in 2004. He praised the steady improvement of the Chinese national korfball team, highlighting its performance at major international events. China finished fifth at the 2017 World Games in Poland, marking its first appearance at the Games and one of its best results to date. Crum currently serves as lifetime honorary coach for Chinese national korfball team.

"I work with the team twice a year," Crum told Xinhua on the sidelines of the 2025 Korfball Challenge recently in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. "China is a sports power and has strong potential to be top nation of korfball."

The 2025 Korfball Challenge, organized by Royal Dutch Korfball Association (KNKV), was held in Rotterdam from December 27 to 30, 2025. At the tournament, China's Zhengzhou University korfball team was the only non-European team invited to participate, competing alongside top korfball clubs from the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Germany and the Czech Republic.

"These players are totally new," Crum explained. "They enter university this September and then have to play against people from the European countries who may have been playing for six or even 12 years. They are under 21 years old and have only two months of experience.

"To win is very difficult, but it is a good opportunity for intensive learning," he added, assuring that the young players would be strong competitors over four years university training.

Crum noted that while korfball is mainly played in universities and colleges in China and developed uneven among provinces. Opportunities for inter-team communication and competition remain limited, which is barrier for korfball promotion and improvement. "If they only play against the same people, that's not enough. They need different teams and more exchanges," he said.

He emphasized the need to encourage more local competitions. "I suggest provinces like Henan or cities like Zhengzhou to create their own leagues so they can have ten or 20 teams competing with each other regularly and will be a feasible way to promote the sports quickly," he added.

Korfball was invented in the Netherlands in 1902 and has since spread worldwide. It appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games and has been included in the World Games since 1985. As now, korfball is played in more than 70 countries and regions across the world. ■