Desperate to escape a life of poverty, 11-year-old Tian Tian prepares to try out for China's biggest soccer academy.

In central China's Henan province, 11-year-old Yuan Tian Tian is one of 10 girls selected by Bei Jie primary school to train for professional soccer academy trials.

Over six months, she lives between home and school preparing to try out for the biggest soccer academy in the country, Guangazhou Evergrande. As her coach says: "Tian Tian is not the most talented player in my team. But she trains the hardest."

Tian Tian studies, trains, and lives with her teammates who, like her, are all desperate to escape poverty. At just 11 years old she is seeking a better life, not just for herself but in the hope of providing economic security to her entire family.

In the lead up to the big event, Tian Tian faces many challenges at home. The father who abandoned her pays a rare visit, as her grandfather's declining health reaches a crisis stage. And as the critical trials approach, her school studies fall behind, placing her opportunity to participate at risk.