Chinanews.com, Tianjin, January 25. Title: Vargas: Tianjin is an important stop in my volleyball career. See you in the international arena
Author: Zhang Shaoxuan
On January 25, 2003, Tianjin women's volleyball team won the first championship in the history of their league team. It has been 20 years since then.
In the past 20 years, from Serbia's main attacker Molnar and Nesovic to Cuba's deputy attacker Carrillo, from the American player Hooker who served as a receiver to another Cuban player Vargas..."Volleyball City" Here, the girls named "foreign aid" have also become family members in this city.
At the beginning of the new year, thousands of households in China are beginning to exchange new peaches for old talismans, immersed in the New Year atmosphere. Vargas also returned to Turkey, enjoying his rare vacation, and began to prepare for the journey of the new year.
Vargas and Tianjin women's volleyball teammates compete in the Volleyball Super League.
Photo courtesy of Tianjin Sports Bureau
Vargas, Tianjin fans affectionately call her "Xiaomei". After joining the Tianjin women's volleyball team for two consecutive seasons, this "violent response" on the court has been recognized by many people for her strong jump serve and smashing the floor. favorite.
And who would have thought that this invincible player on the field would look shy and restrained off the field.
Before Vargas returned to China, a reporter asked her such a question.
"This year, you have entered the Turkish national team. In the Olympic qualifiers, if you meet your teammates from the Chinese team and Tianjin, will it arouse your fighting spirit?" The greatest respect for the opponent. I think whether we are teammates or opponents, the goal is the same, and that is to win the game." Vargas said.
The volleyball dream of Cuban "gifted girl"
Vargas, who was born in Cuba, has been in love with volleyball since he was 8 years old.
"I was born in a small town. When I was a child, I always saw people playing volleyball on the street, and I thought it had an inexplicable attraction. Players can jump so high, as if there is no restraint."
The nature of yearning for freedom made volleyball take root in the heart of the teenager Vargas. Her first teacher was a volleyball coach in a small town. From entering the small town team to becoming famous at the age of 15 and becoming the main player of the Cuban team , Vargas' goal has always been to become a professional player.
Vargas smashed the ball in the Super League.
Photo courtesy of Tianjin Sports Bureau
In her sports career, from Cuba to Switzerland, from the main attack to the support, and then being recognized by the Turkish Fenerbahce team, she started the journey to the peak of her career. In Vargas' view, Tianjin The city was also an important stop in his career.
"Before I came to Tianjin, my agent showed me the game video of the Tianjin team. I was deeply impressed by the tenacious style and changeable tactics. At that time, I asked the agent who looked very young but smashed the ball. What's the name of the great player, the agent said her name was 'Li' and I said I wanted to be her teammate and be part of this team."
In the 2021-2022 volleyball super season when Vargas first joined the Tianjin team, he dominated the five scoring lists.
The player with the highest score in each game, the player with the highest serve score in each game, the player with the highest total score, the player with the highest total serve score, and the player with the highest offensive efficiency. In the 49 games he participated in, he attacked 353 times and scored 301 points in total. 55 points, the offensive efficiency is as high as 63%.
In the words of Tianjin team coach Wang Baoquan: "This girl is not easy. Her arrival has become another powerful trump card for the Tianjin team."
China's league schedule is relatively short, leaving little time for Vargas to adapt. It can be said that when he sets foot on this "new continent", he must devote himself to fierce official competitions.
As a professional athlete, the short adjustment period did not cause too many difficulties for Vargas, but aroused her fighting spirit.
Every morning at 7:30, he has to walk into the training field. In foreign leagues, the amount of training for one or two hours a day has doubled in China, but Vargas is happy.
After coming to the Tianjin team, Vargas said that her blocking and defense levels have been significantly improved. The coach is very strict, but she likes it very much.
Playing games in different countries allows her to quickly understand the characteristics of various skills and tactics. As the saying goes, only masters can fight for the top. This is what she has always pursued.
Feel like home in Tianjin
In the 2022-2023 Super League season that has ended, the Tianjin team won the fifteenth league championship in team history.
Vargas has once again proved his strength.
Occupying the double list of total points and total number of serves, she scored 417 points in 67 innings and 49 points in total serves, becoming the only player to score 400 points in a season.
On the court, Vargas has a sharp attack, and his vigorous jumping makes his opponents frightened. He is an opponent that makes all teams a headache.
On the sidelines, every time she came off the rotation, she would also speak Chinese, which is not fluent, to cheer for the team. The most common sentence she shouted was "Sister, come on!"
The moment Vargas saved the ball in the Super League.
Photo courtesy of Tianjin Sports Bureau
Although there is a language barrier, Vargas on the field can understand every look and every movement of his teammates.
Precise movement, tactical execution, and the tacit understanding between each other also stem from daily training and the harmonious atmosphere within the team.
Zhang Jingkun, the team leader of the Tianjin team, once joked: "Xiaomei is our pet name for her, and it is also derived from the pronunciation of the first letter of her name. I actually like this nickname when I go to the countryside, because she said that she also loves it." beautiful."
In Tianjin, this girl who was born in Cuba and played in the Turkish League all the year round is not only a fierce player on the field, but also a girl next door off the field.
Li Yingying, who has the best relationship with Vargas, said that she likes to call her sister, even though she is only one year older than herself.
During the break, everyone will play "Werewolf Killing" together. This game requires verbal warfare. With Vargas joining, although she doesn't talk much, she can fully integrate into everyone without any communication barriers.
Aimei's "Xiaomei" will discuss with his teammates where to go shopping in Tianjin through an interpreter in his spare time, and sometimes he will take the interpreter lady to enjoy the delicious food of Tianjin.
She doesn't like spicy food, so her favorites are chicken drumsticks and roujiamo.
But most of the time during breaks, she will stay quietly in the dormitory, read books, brush Tik Tok, and let herself relax with text and some funny videos.
As an athlete, you need to devote yourself to the game, so for Vargas, the daily tranquility is a kind of self-precipitation. The world is too prosperous, and I have a degree of relaxation.
In his own world, to achieve a perfect balance, this is Vargas' winning secret.
Vargas bounced vigorously.
Photo courtesy of Tianjin Sports Bureau
This kind of Vargas has a very high "popularity" in Tianjin. She is aggressive and contagious. She is quiet but kind. She said that if she has the opportunity in the new season, she would like to come to Tianjin and contact the fans more. , Thank you for liking "Xiaomei".
This year, the Paris Olympic volleyball qualifiers are about to start, and Vargas and her teammates in Tianjin will also represent the national team.
In the future, they will be opponents on the field and will go all out to fight for the country.
Vargas said she was looking forward to facing her sister across the net, when they must be better selves.
The Tianjin team members said that they look forward to seeing Xiaomei again in the international arena, and look forward to seeing her on the international arena of her dreams. At that time, we will meet to fight again, as opponents and confidants.
The Tianjin coaching team said that this city is tolerant and warm, and will remember all those who have paid for her, and welcome them to "go home" at any time.
Maybe the next time, Zhang Jingkun's guidance can tell Xiaomei the specific meaning of "drinking thunder and smashing scorpion" in Tianjin dialect in more detail; perhaps, when we meet again, no matter when we meet again, we will still hit it off at first sight, and we will be one step closer to the goal in our hearts.
(Finish)