On Aug. 16th, 2014, the 2nd session of Youth Olympic Games was held inNanjing, so that we may think of the relationship between YMCA and the YOG or the physical education in China.
In 1910, when Nanjing YMCA was still in the process of founding preparation, Dr. M.T.Exner sent by North America YMCA Association to Nanjing through Shanghai. By the time of the opening ceremony of The South Sea Industry Expo, hosted by YMCA, and arranged by Dr. Exner, the First National Sports Meeting was held from Oct. 18th to 22nd, in 1910. which was the first time for China to have this kind of sports activity, there were more than 150 athletes from all over the county. The location where held the sports meeting now is Nanjing Dingjiaqiao Primary School, which became the sailing port for Chinese Olympic dreams, as well as the beginning of modern sports in China.( ref. A2 Nanjing Daily Aug.6th, 2014)
When we talk about the relationship between YMCA and the Olympic, there was one person must be mentioned, he is the called the first Chinese who focused on Olympic Games. Mr. Zhang Boling, the educationist, founder of Nankai University. Mr. Zhang became attached to YMCA and was the director and the general secretary of Tianjing YMCA during the first dacades of 20 centries. Mr. Zhang was the first one proposed that China should join in the Olympic, and his thought of strengthening the country by improving physical education was impacted by the perfection personality of all round development of Moral Intellectual, physical and team work spirit, which were from YMCA. What is worthy to mention is that while the setting up of Tianjing YMCA, it brought basketball into China.
In 1904, the third session of Olympic game was held in St. Louis,America, the first one heard about the news in China was the secretary from YMCA, after heard the introduction about the fair competition spirit and moral ideas that were advocated by the Olympic, which made Mr. Zhang resonated strongly. In this year, Mr. Zhang led some students to participate the sports meeting held by Tianjin YMCA.
In 1907, Mr. Zhang promoted the fifth session sports meeting for the educational circles inTianjin, which jointed with YMCA, in his speech during the closing ceremony, he put forward that China should join in Olympic openly.
In 1910, when Mr. Zhang was the director of Tianjin YMCA, he co-worked with other leaders from YMCA in Beijing,Shanghai, and Nanjing to initiate the first session sports meeting of national educational circles, and later, he launched the first physical education league for universities and schools in China.
Since 1917, by the help from YMCA, Mr. Zhang went to America for several times, and he had studied physical education in Columbia University, and he contacted with Americans from all circles, and made fund raising as well. From time to time, he just lodged at the office of YMCA.
As it was known that Mr. Zhang Boling was the founder of Nanjing University Tianjin, he valued the physical education, and popularized the knowledge of sports, and improved the physical quality for the students, and coached the students to organize all kinds of teams, such as basketball, football, baseball, volleyball and tennis. President Zhang made money collection to train the athletes and dispatched the sport men to abroad for study.
In July, 1932, the tenth session of Olympic was held in Los Angeles, under promotion and support by Mr. Zhang boling and general Zhang Xueliang, two athletes were dispatched by the government to participate the games, that made the Olympic dream for Chinese came true in first step.
