Super Wingstorm

Inside the Super Training, it was as bright as day.

On the lush green pitch, Yang Yang was dribbling the ball, charging at the defender in front of him again and again.

He had limitless stamina inside the Super Training and never grew tired. However, endlessly repeating the same set of moves for long periods was incredibly mechanical and tedious.

Anyone with a weaker will would have given up long ago, or even gone mad.

But Yang Yang didn’t. He meticulously completed every single move, practicing his dribbling breakthroughs over and over again.

His desire to improve was his greatest motivation.

After more than a month of special training, his progress was plain for all to see.

Just a few days ago, Old Ice had upgraded the skill level of the practice defenders from the Fourth Tier League to the Third Tier. This meant Yang Yang was now facing defenders at the level of Almere’s first team.

Both the Fourth and Third Tiers were amateur leagues, but their skill levels were worlds apart.

Yang Yang, who had utterly dominated the Fourth Tier defenders, was hitting a wall against the Third Tier ones. He failed time and time again. It was only after several days of improvement and hard practice that he even had a chance of a successful breakthrough, and even then, his success rate was abysmal.

Despite getting trounced, Yang Yang wasn’t the least bit discouraged.

After every dribbling drill, he would constantly analyze his experiences, searching for that fine, invisible line between success and failure. Old Ice would also help him improve, again and again.

And the thing Old Ice emphasized the most was pacing.

To put it in a formula: Speed equals stride length times stride frequency.

Stride length is the distance of each step. The longer the stride, the weaker the control over the ball and the worse the ability to react to defenders. Stride frequency is the rate of your steps. By the same token, the lower the frequency, the weaker the control over the ball and the worse the ability to react to defenders.

Speed-focused players on the pitch often control their speed by adjusting their stride length and frequency based on the situation.

When far from a defender, they can increase their speed by lengthening their stride while keeping the frequency constant. When close to a defender, they can shorten their stride and increase their frequency to improve ball control and reaction time.

Old Ice’s requirement for Yang Yang’s training was to figure out the pacing that suited him best. He also had to train his pacing to the point where he could use it at will, freely switching between stride lengths and frequencies based on the on-field situation.

And the only way to find that ideal pacing was to practice—to train over and over again, relentlessly.

The pacing of star players like Ronaldo was developed through accumulation and exploration from the time they were children. It just so happened to meet the demands of professional leagues; those whose styles didn’t meet the requirements had long since been weeded out.

But for someone like Yang Yang to try and develop a suitable pacing at his age, and then turn it into instinct through grueling practice, was undoubtedly an extremely difficult task. Yet, it was one that had to be done.

He knew very well that his feel for the ball and his pacing were the foundations for his future on the soccer field. The stronger and more solid the foundation, the smoother his future development would be.

Understanding this, Yang Yang didn’t dare to slack off in the slightest during training. He pushed himself to perform every move to the absolute best of his ability, striving to meet the Super Training’s requirements as quickly as possible.

Even though he was constantly engaged in dull and tedious basic training, Yang Yang could also feel himself improving.

Ever since the away game against Brad Middle School, Yang Yang had been permanently moved to the right-wing position. He became the team’s unshakeable attacking blade on the right flank, sharing the offensive burden of Baken Academy with Henk Demyer.

The coaching staff had high hopes for him, and Yang Yang didn’t disappoint. In the two games since moving to right wing, he performed exceptionally well, getting better with each match. On the field of inter-school competition, no one could stop his breakthroughs anymore.

After all, the defenders he faced in the Super Training were at the level of a Third Tier league.

...

...

Every morning, Yang Yang would wake up on time, full of energy.

He had gradually gotten used to the existence of the Super Training, treating it as a part of his own body and viewing Old Ice as a respected teacher and mentor.

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he ate the milk and eggs his aunt had prepared, slung his backpack on, and set off for school, juggling a soccer ball.

These days, he would jog all the way, juggling the ball while trying to control his stride length and frequency, keeping them as consistent as possible.

When he got to the skate park, he continued his training against that same wall.

Before he knew it, after enduring countless passes and shots from Yang Yang, the wall had become noticeably more mottled than before. It was pitted and uneven, making the ball’s rebound much more unpredictable, which, in turn, was even better for Yang Yang’s training.

His days were simple yet fulfilling. Aside from the Saturday matches, Yang Yang dedicated almost all his time to training.

The only strange thing was that the odd, middle-aged Dutch man he’d met two weeks ago had never appeared at the skate park again. Since Yang Yang didn’t know him at all, he gradually forgot about him.

After finishing his morning training at the skate park, Yang Yang jogged north, juggling the ball all the way to Baken Academy.

In the past, the sight of Yang Yang juggling a ball to school was a source of ridicule for students and teachers alike. But ever since he started performing better and better, to the point where he seemed poised to replace Henk Demyer as Baken Academy’s top star, that same sight had become proof of his improving skills, earning everyone’s praise and affirmation.

Now, every morning at the school gate, many students would see Yang Yang jogging over while juggling the ball and greet him with a smile.

Just as he entered the school gates and was walking toward the academic building, Henk Demyer stood some distance ahead, waving at him.

Everyone knew they were rivals and that Yang Yang had shaken Henk Demyer’s status as the team’s top star. Seeing Henk Demyer actually approach him was both surprising and a little strange.

’Is he looking for revenge in public?’

Only Yang Yang knew what was really going on. Although his relationship with Henk Demyer was distant, it wouldn’t come to blows. After all, he had averaged one assist to Henk Demyer per game in the last few matches. If anything, the other boy should be thanking him.

"How are you preparing for the term assessment?" Henk Demyer asked coolly as Yang Yang jogged closer.

Yang Yang was already used to his tone.

"It’s going okay."

"The criteria for our assessment scores come mainly from three parts: regular training, match records, and the final test results."

Yang Yang looked at the teammate who had once humiliated him, a little puzzled. ’What is he trying to do?’

"Your match record is definitely not a problem, and your regular training is good too. The academic portion of the final test won’t be an issue for you either. The basic skills tests might be a little troublesome, but passing them won’t be hard."

After all that, Henk Demyer’s core message was simple: it wouldn’t be difficult for Yang Yang to stay on the team.

In the past month or so, his improvement had been too fast and too obvious, shocking everyone.

Yang Yang nodded. ’Passing isn’t hard, of course,’ he thought. ’The hard part is getting into the top three.’

He was eager to earn a spot in the Ajax Talent Day selection event. It wasn’t that he thought he could actually be favored by Ajax; he just wanted to give it a try, especially since his idol, Van Basten, would likely make an appearance there.

"Is this all you wanted to tell me?" Yang Yang asked, puzzled.

’I already know all this without anyone having to tell me.’

Henk Demyer finally looked a little awkward. He glanced at the curious students gathering around them, then looked back at Yang Yang and mustered up his courage. "Are you going back to your country after the holiday starts?"

’Go back to my country?’

It was only then that Yang Yang suddenly remembered the school had a six-week summer holiday. The youth team’s training would also be suspended. How was he going to spend that time?

’If I go back home, will my parents even let me come back abroad?’

Seeing his worried expression, Henk Demyer assumed he was troubled about the summer holiday and immediately extended an invitation. "I’ve already talked it over with a few classmates from the team, as well as some teammates from the first team who aren’t getting playing time. We’re planning to form a team to play in a summer amateur league. Do you want to join?"

In the Netherlands’ soccer scene, besides the rigorously structured official leagues, there were also numerous amateur leagues, such as the famous weekend leagues. Especially during the summer holiday, all sorts of amateur competitions were organized across the country, providing another platform for students and youths on break to hone their skills.

Although they were amateur leagues, soccer was extremely popular in the Netherlands. Many participants had received long-term youth training and had a high level of skill. Some were even active players from Eredivisie youth teams.

"The tournament we’re entering is a traditional event in Amsterdam. Not only is the level of competition high, but strong teams from other regions are also invited to participate in the final stages. It will attract the attention of many scouts. Last year’s champion was a team made up of players from the Ajax Youth Team’s core."

Hearing Henk Demyer’s explanation, Yang Yang’s heart skipped a beat.

He had long wanted to test himself and see what the level of players his age on the Ajax Youth Team was really like.

"The tournament is in June and July, and the Ajax Talent Day selection is in early August, so they don’t conflict with each other."

It was clear that Henk Demyer was somewhat worried Yang Yang would refuse.

Over the past month or so of matches, he had gradually realized Yang Yang’s importance. His breakthroughs and dribbling on the right wing were simply too sharp. With him on the field, his own job in the center was ridiculously easy.

The other players on the team also felt that if they could get a flank attacker like Yang Yang on board, they might actually have a chance at a decent ranking this summer.

"Let me think about it. I’ll get back to you in a few days," Yang Yang said after a moment’s thought, not agreeing on the spot.

"No problem, there’s still plenty of time. I’ll wait for your answer." Seeing that Yang Yang hadn’t rejected him outright, Henk Demyer knew there was a good chance and didn’t press the matter.

Yang Yang, however, was thinking that he still needed to discuss it with his uncle and call his parents. After all, he had previously said he would come home for the summer. It wouldn’t be right to change his mind at the last minute without telling them.

But the prospect of forming a team with Henk Demyer and the others was very appealing to him.

Lately, Yang Yang had also discovered that being tempered by real matches helped him more and allowed him to improve faster. It was more valuable than just shutting himself away to practice relentlessly. Plus, there would be a lot of scouts. Even if he couldn’t stay at Almere in the end, it might open up opportunities to transfer to other teams.

’How could he refuse such a great opportunity?’