Data map: Lang Ping.
Photo by Tang Yanjun
September 10th is the annual Teacher's Day.
People often describe the selfless dedication of the teachers as "the silkworm ends when the silkworms die, and the torch turns into ashes and tears begin to dry."
In the field of sports, it is the coach who plays this role.
On the way forward for Chinese sports, there are countless excellent coaches.
On this special day, let us relive their touching stories.
If you have people working as coaches around you, please also say to them: "Thank you for your hard work."
They help the new Chinese sports to become brilliant
In recent decades, China's sports industry has gone from weak to strong, and Chinese athletes have demonstrated their demeanor in larger and larger stadiums.
In this process, countless coaches quietly dedicated their youth.
The picture shows Wang Wenjiao (right), the former head coach of the Chinese badminton team and the pioneer of the new China badminton career.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Han Haidan
Wang Wenjiao, a native of Fujian, was born in Indonesia in 1933. As an Indonesian badminton national player, he followed the observation group to China to visit the game. The strength gap between China and India deeply shocked Wang Wenjiao.
In the following year, he ignored the obstacles from Indonesia and the opposition of his family, and together with his partner Chen Fushou and other overseas Chinese youths, he embarked on a journey back home.
As an athlete, Wang Wenjiao won men's singles and doubles championships in national competitions many times.
After he retired, he became the head coach of the Chinese badminton team.
From athlete to coach, Wang Wenjiao has led China's badminton sports to "open up the wild."
When he first returned to China, China's economic development was far worse than it is now.
According to media reports, in difficult times, Wang Wenjiao even caused swelling of his legs due to insufficient food and malnutrition.
The then coach of the Chinese badminton team Wang Wenjiao (right) greeted the audience at the awards ceremony after the Chinese team won the 12th Thomas Cup (information photo).
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Xiangyang
But these difficulties did not defeat him. Wang Wenjiao led the Chinese badminton team to the top of the world.
In 1982, he led the Chinese team to participate in the Thomas Cup for the first time. "At that time, many people looked down on us because it was published in the newspapers. Will the Chinese play badminton? Big headlines, big question marks." Wang Wenjiao once recalled.
However, the despised Chinese team reversed and defeated Indonesia in the final, and successfully climbed to the top in the first competition.
The Chinese badminton team has since begun a glorious history. During Wang Wenjiao's coaching career, the Chinese team has won 56 singles world championships and 9 team world championships.
On the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, Wang Wenjiao was awarded the national honorary title of "People's Model".
He said: "I am very excited. I have dedicated my life to the motherland. This is the recognition of the motherland to me and the honor of my life."
Wang Wenjiao attended the event.
People look back on the history of sports in New China, and when they think of the highlights of those athletes winning gold and silver on the field, perhaps they should also pay more attention to the coaches.
Not only Wang Wenjiao, but Qian Chenghai, who led the Chinese men’s basketball team to rule Asia and invented the "little quick spirit" style of play, and nian Weisi, who trained Xu Genbao, Shen Xiangfu, Jia Xiuquan, etc., were not materially advanced In the age, their sincerity became more precious.
They have dedicated themselves to sports and died
In the turbulent 2020, the Chinese sports world has lost many outstanding coaches.
They have contributed everything to China's sports industry and are role models among coaches.
Lu Shanzhen and Cheng Fei.
Image source: Osports All Sports Photo Agency
On June 19, Lu Shanzhen, a Chinese gymnastics meritorious coach, died of illness at the age of 63.
Many people may not be very familiar with Lu Shanzhen's name, but those who know Chinese women's gymnastics will remember that after the girls have completed their moves, there is often a person off the court who smiles and gives them encouraging hugs.
Lu Shanzhen started as the head coach of the Chinese women's gymnastics team in 1993. At that time, the women's team was excellent in individual events, but never won the team world championship.
Lu Shanzhen once said: "For so many years, the International Sports Federation and many gymnastics people have looked down on the Chinese team. Why do they look down on it? They think that the Chinese team is not good."
In the 2006 World Championships, Lu Shanzhen led Zhang Nan, Cheng Fei and others to play, and the women's team won the first team world championship in one fell swoop.
Two years later, the girls won the Beijing Olympics again, which was also the first Olympic team gold medal in the history of the women's team.
Lu Shanzhen (right) and Cheng Fei.
Image source: Osports All Sports Photo Agency
Behind the results are the boring efforts of Lu Shanzhen and the players in the training room day after day.
The Chinese Gymnastics Association stated in the obituary that Lu Shanzhen "set an immortal monument for the Chinese women's gymnastics career."
In the early morning of July 19, Xu Guoyi, a Chinese swimming coach, died of illness in Beijing at the age of 50.
Xu Guoyi has been a swimming coach since 1994 and has been full of peaches and plums for more than 20 years.
Luo Xuejuan, Ye Shiwen, Xu Jiayu, Fu Yuanhui, Li Zhuhao and many other famous swimmers have all studied under him.
In recent years, Xu Guoyi's physical condition has not been very good.
As early as 2015, there was news that he was hospitalized with a malignant brain tumor.
According to media reports, in order not to affect preparations for the Rio Olympics, he concealed his illness from his disciples.
Only 5 months after the operation, he returned to the swimming team.
Coach Xu Guoyi (left) and his disciple Ye Shiwen Picture source: Visual China
Xu Guoyi once lamented that if it were not for a few months of delay due to illness, the disciples would still have won a few more medals and even gold medals in Rio.
In a not-so-long life, Xu Guoyi dedicated his best years to swimming.
"Dedicating to Chinese swimming is my job. All the hard work is worthwhile and willingly."
The dead are dead, and the living have to continue their careers.
It is precisely because of these coaches who are willing to dedicate everything to their careers that Chinese sports can be self-reliant and continue to achieve better results.
Xu Guoyi and his disciple Xu Jiayu Picture source: Visual China
They move on with pressure and hope
With the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the epidemic, the preparation plans of various national teams will also be adjusted accordingly.
Change means more uncertain factors, and many coaches are facing more challenges.
In June 2017, Lang Ping underwent left hip replacement surgery in the United States. This was her 12th operation on different body parts.
The successful sports career of "Iron Hammer" was accompanied by serious injuries. Lang Ping's knee cartilage suffered severe wear and tear.
According to media reports, when Lang Ping retired at the age of 25, her knees were worn down to the level of a 70-year-old.
Lang Ping has undergone 7 operations on his left knee joint alone. After retiring as a coach, Lang Ping is still suffering from injuries to the lumbar and cervical spine.
It is precisely this painful body that supports the Chinese women's volleyball team from the trough back to the peak.
Lang Ping is reminding the players to pay attention to the technical essentials.
Photo by Tang Yanjun
After leading the Chinese women's volleyball team to regain the Olympic championship after 12 years in 2016, Lang Ping chose to continue to fight side by side with the girls.
This choice means that she has also taken the pressure of another Olympic cycle. With the world's volleyball players gathered, it is not easy for any team to remain competitive.
In the 2019 Women's Volleyball World Cup, the Chinese women's volleyball team won the championship with 11 consecutive victories.
This is also the tenth "three major tournament" champion of the Chinese women's volleyball team. Lang Ping was still a player when the Chinese team won the World Cup for the first time in 1981.
In the post-match interview, the head coach Lang Ping said with tears: "It's actually quite difficult..."
Chinese women's volleyball coach Lang Ping.
Image source: ICphoto
Later, when asked why she was emotional, she said, "Because this is the last game of the World Cup and the last game of this year, as a player and coach, she said, "I am so happy that we will be able to on vacation."
What is the hard work and effort behind the phrase "I will be able to have a holiday soon"!
2020 is a difficult year for the sports world, and a large number of events have to be postponed or cancelled due to the epidemic.
In the days when there are no events, we may ignore those sports teams who are silently preparing for the game, those athletes who are boring day after day in training halls, and the coaches who have to constantly adjust training plans and regulate the emotions of their players.
Data map: Xu Junmeng, a Xinjiang aid teacher from Guangzhou Qihui School, leads the students in training on the football field of Mingde Primary School in Shufu County, Xinjiang.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Xin
Looking at the entire sports world, we have more obscure grassroots coaches, fighting on the front line of preaching and receiving professions, and consolidating the pyramid foundation of Chinese sports.
Because of their dedication, more and more children fall in love with sports; with their careful polishing, young talents with potential can emerge.
In this "gardener" festival, I wish the coaches a smooth job, good health, and get what they want on the field!
(Wang Hao)