Lang Ping, a symbol of an era and the spirit of China, has become deeply rooted in the minds of generations of fans. Last June, when the 2005 World Grand Prix Women's Volleyball Tournament was held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Lang Ping for the first time in her motherland presented herself as the head coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball Team - and she grabbed the attention of thousands of Chinese fans. Just a few months before, in February, when it was announced that Lang Ping had taken on the job as head coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball Team, the news sent a tremor through legions of Chinese fans.
"Lang Ping, I Love You"
"Lang Ping, I Love You!" - A unique slogan combining a famous Chinese name and common English term of endearment - could be heard distinctly throughout the Ningbo Beilun Gym in Zhejiang Province on June 24, 2005, during the 2005 World Grand Prix Women's Volleyball Tournament. Packed with a capacity crowd of more than 7000 spectators, the gymnasium was filled with other cheers too: "Come on, Lang Ping!" and "Come on, Iron Hammer!"
The outcome of the match between the USA Women's Team and the much more seasoned Chinese Women's Team was essentially predetermined - nevertheless more than 150 reporters covered the event. Some tickets sold for as much as 1,500 yuan (about US$180), a rare occurrence for a medium-sized Chinese city, like Ningbo. This was all thanks to one individual - Lang Ping.
Just like the slogan melding Chinese and English, Lang Ping performed two different roles during her visit home: one was that of a famous and popular Chinese athlete with a beloved nickname - the "Iron Hammer", whilst the other was as head coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball Team. From June 24-26, 2005, when Lang Ping headed her USA team at the World Grand Prix, she and her players were deeply moved by the enthusiasm shown by thousands of Chinese fans. The gym was full of Lang Ping fans, and they never stopped cheering for their hero and her team. An American player commented to a reporter, "Now I believe what they said... Lang Ping is China's Michael Jordan."
"Iron Hammer," a most beloved star
Indeed, Lang Ping performs a role in China equal to that of Michael Jordan in the US. To Chinese fans, she is not only an outstanding athlete and the pride of Chinese volleyball, but also the symbol of an era and a spirit.
As an athlete, Lang Ping has achieved marvelous success. In 1978, at the age of 18, Lang won herself the position as the key player in China's national volleyball team. During her service throughout those years, she helped China win four world titles and two Asian championships. The team's series of triumphs encouraged more and more Chinese people to fall in love with the game of volleyball, to understand volleyball terminology, and above all, to remember the name "Lang Ping" with affection. Her outstanding skills, stalwart spirit and unparalleled impressive manner, gained her the nickname of the "Iron Hammer" from her fans, as well as admiration and high expectations from millions of Chinese. As one of the three chief spikers in the world during the 1980s, Lang has brought her compatriots victory and joy, and much more than that, she brought to them glory and pride.
Lang Ping continued her achievement as she turned to her career as a coach. After her retirement as a player in 1986, she took the job of assistant coach with the Chinese women's national volleyball team, which took the trophy at the 10th World Women's volleyball Championship in Czechoslovakia and the women's volleyball title at the Asian Games in Seoul in the same year.
Thereafter, Lang Ping pursued further study overseas, joining foreign volleyball clubs as a player and a coach for several years, until she answered an urgent call from her native team in China in 1995 - to shoulder the responsibility for leading the Chinese women's volleyball national team out of its slump, as its head coach.
In the 1980s, the China team would go on to take the World Cup and Olympic championship for five successive times.
Rendezvous with Beijing 2008
On February 7, 2005, it was announced that Lang Ping had accepted an invitation to take over as head coach of the US team. "USA Volleyball is honored to have reached agreement with 'Jenny' to be the next coach," said Doug Beal, CEO of the woman's volleyball program. "Lang Ping is perhaps the most decorated and successful volleyball personality in the world... This is an individual who has been uncommonly successful in every phase of her career as a player and as a coach."
But Lang Ping only agreed to accept a coaching assignment outside China until a self-enforced condition was satisfied. That being: she would not consider leading another international team until her Chinese team took a gold medal. She was good to her word.
Lang Ping's motivation to sign on with the US was not all professional. Her 13-year-old daughter, Lydia, now lives and attends school in California and Lang Ping wanted to be near her.
After taking on her US coaching job, the most pressing task for Lang Ping will be to lead her American players to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Of course, this, too, is the goal of the Chinese women's volleyball team. Her leadership of the US team will not only bring to China a potential opponent with strong capability, but a great psychological challenge to her supporters and fans in China, as their hero becomes a competitor. Lang Ping explains that she will be much relieved if China's media and public show understanding and support. According to an online poll, more than 60% participants supported Lang's new role as head coach of the American volleyball team.
One online poll participant offered the following: "SUPPORT! - If Lang Ping leads her American players to a higher standing, it will be not only to her credit, but a feat of which all Chinese can be proud. Of course, the Chinese team is expected to give it their best. Thus, the international volleyball world will draw more attention from people all around the world."
After hearing the news that Lang Ping took over as head coach of the American women's national volleyball team, Xu Li, director of the volleyball management center of the State General Administration of Sport, had a dream of her own. "I wish that during the Beijing Olympic Games, the American team led by Lang Ping and the Chinese team led by Chen Zhonghe will face each other at the final. If this comes true, they will surly provide audiences throughout the world a remarkable and unforgettable contest."
We could offer a prophecy based on an understanding of Chinese fans: If the Chinese team and the American team do take to the court for the final match of the Beijing Games, Chinese volleyball fans will still shout out two cheers: "Victory to China!" and "Go, Lang Ping!"
See you in 2008, Lang Ping.
Profile of Lang Ping:
Date of birth: December 10, 1960
Place of birth: Beijing
Height: 1.84m
Sport: Volleyball
Education: Master of Sport Management
High-Performance Milestones:
1981 World Cup - 1st (China's first world championship title in women's volleyball)
1982 World Women's Volleyball Championship - 1st
1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games - 1st, volleyball
1985 World Cup - 1st
Honors:
1981-1986 - Selected as one of National Top Ten Athletes of the year six times in succession
1981, 1985 - Named Best Player at the 3rd and 4th World Cup
1985 - Awarded a badge for the Year of Youth by the IOC
1981, 1983 & 1985 - Three-time award winner of National Sports Medal of Honor by the SPCSC
1997 - Elected Best Women's Coach of 1996 by the International Volleyball Federation
2002 - Entered Volleyball Hall of Fame
Coaching Experience:
1986 - （Assistant coach of China）China Women's Volleyball Team - 1st, World Championship
1991 - New Mexico State University women's team - 1st, Eastern US Women's Volleyball Tournament
1995 - China Women's Volleyball Team - 3rd, World Cup
1996 - China Women's Volleyball Team - 2nd, Atlanta Olympic Games
1997 - China Women's Volleyball Team - 1st, Asian Women's Championship
1998 - China Women's Volleyball Team - 1st, Asian Games Volleyball
1998 - China Women's Volleyball Team - 2nd, World Women's Championship
2001 - Italy's Modena Club Women's Team - 1st, European Women's Championship
May 2002 - Italy's Modena Club Women's Team - 1st, Italian Women's Volleyball League
(China Pictorial September 22, 2005)
