US volleyball head coach Lang Ping (in red) gestures as she talks to her players during a match between the United States and Italy in this July 12, 2008 photo. [Xinhua]

Lang Ping, known as the "Iron Hammer" during her playing days, had her wedding shown on national television in China and had a postage stamp issued in her honor. In April she carried the Olympic torch during its US stop.

Now she hopes to bring the spirit of sporting unity she symbolizes to her hometown for the Olympics.

"I feel like I'm on both sides," Lang said. "I'm very proud to have this opportunity. The flame is going to my hometown and hopefully I can carry this spirit on to the Olympic Games."

Lang guided China to the silver medal at the 1996 Olympics and last coached in China in 1998, then spent six years coaching in Italy before replacing Japan's Toshi Yoshida as the US women's coach in late 2004.

"I was reluctant to take over this job because the Games were in Beijing," she said. "I talked to a lot of my friends and coaches to see what they thought.

"People always want me to come back home. Some said, 'Why not coach China women's volleyball? We love you. One day you will beat us and it will hurt our feelings.'

"I would say 85 percent of the people understood my decision and they support me as an international coach. After that I made my decision."

Lang, 48, is one of the few women coaches in global volleyball circles and will join Hungarian 1972, 1976 and 1980 Olympic coach Gabriella Kotsis as the only woman to guide teams in multiple Olympics.

"For international games, you travel too much. You don't spend time at home with your family. That's why a woman coach doesn't want that job," she said.

"We have a lot of female coaches in universities. I wish we had more female coaches in international volleyball."

As hard as she will try to guide the Americans past China, Lang admits the defending Olympic champion Chinese team will be tough to top.

"China's team looks very well. They have prepared very well. They have time to prepare for every angle and all the details. I think they have a very good shot at winning the gold medal," Lang said.

"They won the gold medal in 2004. They don't have to worry too much. China has one of the top teams in the world."

Lang has had the US women play several tune-up events in China to become adjusted to conditions there and to see how security, transportation and food will be handled when the Olympics arrive.

She has seen a change in China's sport academies from her schoolgirl days, with greater emphasis on personal growth along with sport development.

"It's more open. Players can do a lot more things," Lang said.

"Divers and gymnasts start when they are really young and they spend a lot of time studying. They changed the system so the players have an education too."