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Lang Ping 'unlikely' to take China's volleyball helm

By Chen Bei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-09-23 10:54

China's American volleball coach Jenny Lang Ping ruled out the possibility of taking the helm of Chinese women's team during an exclusive interview with local newspaper Titan Sports Weekly in Beijing on Monday.

Head coach of the US women's volleyball team Lang Ping (front) poses with the American volleyball players during a training session in this August, 2008 file photo. [Langpingblog.sohu]

To Lang, China's current head coach Chen Zhonghe is the right person to take the reins. "Chen has proven himself as one of the few excellent coaches in the world. Thanks to his brilliant instructions, the volleyball team won its first Olympic title in Athens since 1984 and the bronze four years later."

"Chen is the overwhelming choice unless his physical form defies the position," added Lang, better known as "Iron Hammer" in China for her volleyball skills in the 1980s.

Lang admitted that to coach China's women's volleyball team meant one would bear more pressure to win back its 1980s glory.

The legacy of Chinese women's volleyball team dates back to 1981, when China won its first world championship in a sports world dominated by western players. China then defended the championship title for four consecutive years.

Since then, the women's volleyball team's fearless spirit has become a beacon to inspire the whole nation to go ahead.

"I am not young any more, and my physical and mental ability fail to support me to take charge of the national women's volleyball team," Lang said when responding to rumors that she might retake the helm of China's team.

Lang was the head coach of the Chinese women volleyball team when it won silver in the 1996 Atlanta Games. Then she went to head the United States team in 2005 and led the squad to win a silver medal at the Beijing Games.

Now that the 2008 Games are over, Lang said that her immediate future now is to be a full-time mom. She is looking forward to family time with her daughter in the US.

"We haven't had an extended time chatting with each other since June. I miss her very much."

Lang also revealed her main goal in the future is to set up "The Lang Ping Foundation" to support injured athletes from both China and overseas.

As to whether she extends a four-year contract with the US women's volleyball team, Lang said the decision will depend on her personal conditions and her family's wishes.

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