Highlights

Pressure for short-term results hurts Chinese volleyball

By Yang Xinwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-08 09:38

Wang Baoquan, former head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team,?reacts during Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix finals in east China's Ningbo city August 26, 2010. Wang's resignation?was granted last Thursday by the Chinese Volleyball Association. [Photo/Xinhua]

The old saying goes: You can't win 'em all. You win a few and you lose a few. That's the way sports go.

But it's not fit for Chinese women's volleyball in China, in the eyes of the sport's governing body and most of the fans, even the media.

Last week the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team was changed for the second time in only five months. Both times, the resignations came in rather strange ways. Cai Bin reportedly pressed to resign after a pathetic showing at the Asian Championships, including a stunning loss to Thailand, much to the agony of the fans and officials. Meanwhile, Wang Baoquan threw in the towel after a fourth-place finish at the just-concluded Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix finals, for health reasons, he claimed.

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As Wang had earlier said, the Chinese women's volleyball team can't afford to lose.

He is very right.

Women's volleyball became a quasi-national pastime after the team won five straight major world titles, including the Olympic crown, the World Championships and the World Cup in the 1980s.

The glory definitely helped promote and popularize the game in China. The fighting spirit of the five-time champion teams was used as an example for other Chinese teams and citizens as well.

The team was pushed up onto a pedestal. Now, in the eyes of the fans, media and governing officials, the team cannot afford to lose. For that reason, the coaching seat is now a hot one; unless you keep winning. But the fact is there is no perfect coach in any sport.

During Wang's tenure, the team recorded a 20-10 win-loss record, including the championship title at the Swiss Masters, a runner-up finish at the Presidents Cup in Russia, a first place in Hangzhou and a second place in Luohe at the China Masters, first place in Chengdu, second place in Hong Kong and third place in Macao at the Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix, and a fourth place at the grand prix finals.

For any other big ball sports - basketball and football - there would be bunches of flowers and broad smiles from the officials. But that's not the case for China's women's volleyball.

If expectations from the fans and media are not important enough, the performance of the team is closely related to evaluation of the sport's officials. Namely, no world champions, no promotions.

Yuan Weimin, a former Chinese sports minister, was the coach of the women's team, that won five straight world titles. China's hugely successful table tennis team has produced three minister-level officials.

It is said the performance of the women's volleyball team is a top priority of the sport's governing body, the China Volleyball Administrative Center, and a measure of the performance of its work. Much of its attention is devoted to women's volleyball at the expense of the men's program, the leagues, youth development and the mass participation, promotion and popularization of the sport.

One can imagine the tremendous pressure the head coach bears. Cai had to go after failing to meet the center's demands, and now Wang has had to call it quits after seeing little hope.

If only their resignations helped the development of volleyball in China, the fans and the media would be relieved.

No more early burn-outs. It is time to look further ahead. Instead of focusing on short-term results, we should have a plan for the next 20 to 30 years. We have been too consumed by women's volleyball.

Without mass participation, a solid base and sound league, women's volleyball will not thrive and glory will become elusive. Great efforts are now needed to promote the sport, and young talents and good leagues need to be nurtured.

Losing a few championships for the sake of the future will be worth it.

The author is China Daily's chief sports commentator, who has been following China's sports over the past 26 years. He can be reached at yangxinwei@chinadaily.com.cn.