What Volleyball Is Really Like in China | Coach Bai Yun | Ep. 13

What is volleyball really like in China?

In this episode of the Coach Chijo Podcast, I sit down with Coach Bai Yun, a former Chinese National Team player and founder of the largest volleyball club in Beijing. With more than 3,000 athletes, 18 coaches, and 12 training locations, she shares what it's really like to develop volleyball players in China.

We compare the differences between volleyball in China and the United States, discuss coaching philosophies, player development, discipline, training schedules, and why she hopes her daughter will someday play NCAA Division I volleyball.

Whether you're a player, parent, or coach, you'll hear a perspective that most people outside China rarely get to experience.

In this episode we discuss:

• Life as a Chinese National Team player
 • Building Beijing's largest volleyball club
 • Why Chinese athletes train differently
 • School volleyball vs. club volleyball in China
 • The biggest differences between volleyball in China and the United States
 • Discipline, coaching, and developing elite athletes
 • Why Coach Bai Yun wants her daughter to play NCAA Division I volleyball

Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Coach Chijo podcast. Real conversations about volleyball, coaching, growth, and the journey behind it all. So let's get into it. Just go. We have a guest today from China. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Hello everybody. I'm a Coach Bai Yuing. I'm from China, Beijing. This is my second time to meet each other. Meet the coach He Jo is my friend. Yes. And I'm wearing a hat.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Because we're at a tournament, right? Yeah. We're in Phoenix, Arizona.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

At Volleyball Festival where we met one year ago. Yeah. Second time. Second time. Same tournament. And I kind of got clipped. So uh maybe I'll take this off for the rest of the You are very famous here. Oh my god. A lot of clips. Okay, so first of all, you know, I'm I'm really curious. I've never been to China. And uh we're talking like I want to come to China. Yes. You're gonna help me come to China?

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Of course. I actually I asked I'm asking you last year, then that we just got a contact for each other, but sorry, I got blocked. I cannot keep contact with cotigial. You got blocked? Yes. Yes, we need to use a VPN. You gotta use the VPN. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

So now, when did you start playing volleyball?

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Uh starting from 12 years old.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

12 years old? Yeah. But you also then fast forward, you played on the Chinese national team. Yes, I am. Yes. You're taller than me. A little bit? Yeah. Okay. So how long did you play on the national team?

SPEAKER_00 1:52

Uh actually, um I have uh more than 20 years of professional career. But um I just played five years in China women's volleyball team. Okay. And from military team.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Military team?

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Yes, I'm the officer.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

You're an officer? Yeah. In the military? Yes. And the military has a volleyball team? Yes. Wow. So what is your rank?

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Uh you mean the team rank or how to how to explain? I I'm not sure, but I don't know how to use English to explain the rank. You know, but I have uh two stars. Two stars? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:40

So I have to salute you. Okay. Yes. But not anymore.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

Yeah, not anymore. I retired already. You you retired, okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

So now that you started at 12, you played all the way up through the Chinese national team. And by the way, what position did you play?

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Uh I played setter before when I uh was beselecting the junior national team and uh national team, but when I back to my own team, military, I starting to play opposite. Oh. I I am the super weapon in my team. So I I I have uh how to say the record. Uh I got a 42 points in one game.

SPEAKER_02 3:29

One set?

SPEAKER_00 3:31

No. No, no, it's one match. Whole match, yes. Whole match. But just one game. So like the uh four sets, I think. Four sets, you got 42 points? Yes. I'm the wing spiker, and I can show you video, then yeah, you you are very impressive about that.

SPEAKER_02 3:52

Okay, so if you can send me video, we can maybe put it in the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

42 points? And the killer. Is that your nickname?

SPEAKER_01 4:04

No. Oh.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

Okay. So uh now now what what do you do now in Beijing?

SPEAKER_00 4:14

Um, I'm running my own business. So I have my volleyball club company. Okay. Volleyball club company. What is the name of the volleyball club? White Cloud Volleyball Club. White Cloud Volleyball Club. Because my name is Yuing, remember? Yuing? Yuing, the name is a white cloud in the sky. In Chinese? Yes. Oh. That's why. And did you see the uh the the bear? Do you have a bear on my back?

SPEAKER_02 4:45

Uh there's no bear.

SPEAKER_00 4:47

No, no bear, but I will give it to you a sticker, my my bear. Uh I have a nickname as uh flying bear. Because flying bear, because I'm strong and very powerful, and uh also very like a cute face.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Okay, all right, so how how tall are you?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Uh 187.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

187 centimeters. Yes. Okay, 187. 60 six uh two? Six six. That's like six one or two, six two. Yeah. Somewhere in there? Yes. Yeah, in high school that was my height.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 5:27

But I've shrunken.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Me too. So you were taller? No, um, not really. But right now I think I only have 185.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Oh, okay. Well, that's still pretty tall. Yeah. So White Cloud Volleyball Club in Beijing. Okay, how many members do you have?

SPEAKER_00 5:49

I just uh check my uh the background assistant that we have, like the assistant how how to like a recording student. So we have uh 3,000 more. So I can show you. 3,000?

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Yes, uh I'll show you 3,000 players in your club.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

Yes. So he see this is the member number.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

Okay, she's showing me right now on her phone. Uh it's an app for your club, and it shows the total number of players. 3,019 players in your club. So, okay, you coach all of them all by yourself?

SPEAKER_00 6:30

No, no, no. Definitely not. Okay, how many coaches do you have? Uh I have 18 coaches. Okay. Yeah. Then I have a 12 campus in Beijing. 12 campuses? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:41

Meaning 12 different locations. So how many total courts, volleyball courts?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Uh how to count. So like for each campus, campus we have two courts? Yeah. More than two courts. Uh-huh. It's uh 24.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

24 courts? More than 24. More than 24. 25?

SPEAKER_00 7:06

Maybe.

SPEAKER_02 7:07

But a lot of courts because you have a lot of players. Yes. Okay, so this volleyball club that you have in Beijing.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

I also have a basketball club.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

Wait, wait, wait, you have a basketball club too? Yes. Okay, how many players are in there?

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Not too much. Maybe uh 60.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Because I uh only do this for my son. Oh, because your son plays basketball?

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:32

All right. So I'm trying to imagine. Okay, I'm in the US. I'm used to US type of American club volleyball. There's a season. It typically goes like November, November, December through May, June, or July. Okay, and then there's an off-season. And we travel across the country to big tournaments like this one. Volleyball Festival, I think this year has about 980 teams. Okay. 980 teams. 980 teams? Something like that. Wow. It's almost a thousand teams in one tournament. Oh my god. Do you have tournaments like that in Japan? No.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

But I have my own tournament. We call BY, BY is my name, Volleyball League. Okay. So B Your Initials. BY is in my name, is a Bai Ring. Initials. Yes. B E Y. Yes. Okay. Then we are running four seasons tournaments, or the four season league we call. So four seasons league? The like a spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

So four seasons. Four seasons, okay. So there's one tournament per season? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

But only two days.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Only two days.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Yes. But we're running whole year practice. Oh. So like we don't have a season. So we we're training whole year.

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Okay. So how many days per week do you train?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Um so Monday is our resting day. Monday.

SPEAKER_02 9:09

Monday is the one rest day? Yes. Wait, wait, wait. You train six days a week? Yes. Did everybody hear that? Or see that if you're watching the video? They practice six days per week.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

All year? All year. Oh, we don't work in Chinese New Year, traditional Chinese New Year. Okay, so how long do you have a break? Uh ten days.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Ten days out of the whole year, you have a break for Chinese New Year. Yes. Other than that, you practice six days a week the whole year.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

But for different teams. So we we won't like keep one team that let them train six times of a week. We just uh most uh players they're training twice a week. Uh-huh. Maybe some uh younger kids just train once. Oh. So that's different. Uh in China, we are trying to make a team.

SPEAKER_02 10:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

But first uh first uh first time they come uh come to my club, but they started training with a group, not in team.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

Not on a team, just a group.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Yes, and uh we will make a tryout for uh um every like a turn, the uh autumn turn and the spring turn. So we we're gonna give them chance then select them.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

So you have tryouts four times a year? Um only two times. Two times. So autumn. Spring and autumn. Spring and autumn are the two tryout times. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Yeah, it's a little bit different.

SPEAKER_02 10:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

Yeah. But I wanna actually allow the style of you guys because uh you can keep the team. Then they can like uh make friendship together and uh they will stay longer than with like as a family. Yeah. And for us, it's really hard because a lot of the local players they are stop playing until uh they go into middle school. So they just uh finish 12. They finish at 12 years old? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 11:20

And they don't play anymore?

SPEAKER_00 11:21

Yes. They don't have time, they have a lot of homework and uh exam.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

Oh, so the school takes over. Yes. There's no time to train.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

No time. Maybe they will keep once every week just for fun.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

Okay, so in the United States for middle school, I think there's plenty of time to play sports. Yes. So not in China.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Uh not in China, but only for local school, but we also have an international school. So the international school starting play a little bit late. So uh most of them they starting 12. Oh. So it's a different Wow, okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

So then how do you get players to the national team or higher level teams if they stop at 12?

SPEAKER_00 12:17

They won't. They only focus on study.

SPEAKER_02 12:21

Focus only on study? Yes. Well, how long is the school day in middle school?

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Middle school, 14 hours. What? Yes. My son. For example, my son, uh, my son woke up every day like uh 6 15. Okay, and he will take bus, go to school around uh 6 30, and uh starting class at 8, then I gonna uh we will pick up around 4, then send it to him to practice starting from 5 to 7:30. So whole day.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

Then my son trained seven times for per week. Seven every day? Yes. He trains seven days a week. Okay, wait. So Saturday is a morning session, the afternoon session, but the uh only one resting day is a Sunday.

unknown 13:19

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

Okay, how old is your son? 13 years old. 13 years old. So he's in middle school? Yes. So he's making time for sports.

SPEAKER_00 13:30

It's a it's uh like uh basketball traditional uh high school, middle school. Uh-huh. So they have their own team.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Yeah, but I think they train too much. They're just uh wasting time.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Seven days a week. Yes. No, six days a week.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Uh six days a week, but seven times.

SPEAKER_02 13:51

Oh, so which day has two practices?

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

Saturday has two practices. Yes. Okay. Okay, so but you said that kids don't have enough time in middle school because they have to focus on school. Right. So how does your son able to play?

SPEAKER_00 14:08

It's really hard. My son uh you uh is like finishing homework at 10.30 every day, and he needs to wake wake up very early. So it's really hard because uh you don't have time to study. Then you also can get a quality time for practice.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Wow. Okay, so he gets up at what time does he get up again?

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Um 6:15.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Okay, and he finishes his homework 10:30. 10:30 usually every day. Yes. And has seven practices per week.

SPEAKER_00 14:46

This is a Chinese style. So but that's the Chinese style. Yeah, but we change. So we we just um made a decision. So we're gonna trans to international school. Oh. So we want to get more time for my son.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Okay, what is what is an international school?

SPEAKER_00 15:06

A Harold International School. Okay. Beijing Harold. Okay. Yeah, and he will get more uh resting time. Okay. Then he can train three times a week. Oh. And they have more time to study.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

And uh they can so like uh doing some own things, like uh private uh fitness class. Oh, so personal time. Yes, personal time. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

Now what you have a daughter. I have a daughter. Right? She's nine years old. Yes. And she is almost to your chin at nine years old. Okay. And she plays volleyball. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

Okay. She loves volleyball. We just saw one every game the morning session.

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Oh, your your team won every game in pool play today?

SPEAKER_00 15:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

We are number four seeds right now.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

Number four seed, okay. All right. So you were at the top of the pool? Yes. Okay, so you held your number four seed. Uh-huh. And then you'll go play higher seeds tomorrow. Okay. All right, so getting back to China. So what is your daughter at nine years old? What does her week look like?

SPEAKER_00 16:19

Uh schedule, right? Yeah. Okay. Um, I starting training her since seven, like uh a little bit early, five.

SPEAKER_02 16:31

She started at five years old.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Five years old. Then I give to her uh professional training, like I gave her private lessons for fitness. Okay. So like how to jump, how to move, yeah, twice a week.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

And I gave to her twice a week for volleyball practice. Okay. Before actually the three times, but my husband always blocked me. They're like uh, no, you cannot train my daughters like not too much. Yeah, give to some resting time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

Okay, this was when she was five? Yes. Wow. Okay, so now she's nine years old. Yes. What is her schedule?

SPEAKER_00 17:14

She maybe uh after two years she can join the foreigner club in uh California. You want her to play in California? Yes, yes. We actually we want to move to here. Oh really? Yes, because my son wants to start in in the United States. Oh yes.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Okay, okay. But right now in China, what is her schedule?

SPEAKER_00 17:42

She will keep all year training.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

All year, okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

All year, yes. And um she will play four season tournaments.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

And then every um holidays, so like we have a Lobber Day holidays five days. We have a national holidays ten seven days. Okay. So I will take her to play some tournament in other city, not in Beijing. Oh, not in Beijing. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Yes. Actually, we I made uh tour uh league. It's uh Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Oh. Yes. You you must be very interested about that. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

So you go to tournaments, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong. Yes. Wow. That must be exciting for little kids.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Yeah, because they don't have too much opportunity to play.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

Right.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

And it's especially some players in club.

SPEAKER_01 18:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

So they don't get too much games.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

But I will give to them um almost like uh 50 games for a year. Let them play.

unknown 18:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

You know the lighting? If you're watching on YouTube, the sun is moving. And the lighting is getting really weird. So let's move to the other chair. Okay. Oh, this lighting is much better. Your daughter trains all year round. Yes. How many days per week?

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Uh four days for a week, about two times for agility, fitness. Oh, wow. The like weight training. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

And who helps her with that?

SPEAKER_00 19:26

Provide a coach. Oh. So I pay a lot.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

You pay a coach, like a personal coach? Yes.

unknown 19:32

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 19:33

Okay, so what's the what is her goal? A national team, of course. Okay. So how is she gonna play on the national team?

SPEAKER_00 19:43

I wanna. My daughter can um play in NCAA for college first.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

Okay. D1. Okay, she wants to play D1. It must be D1.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

I want my daughter to play D1, of course. Okay, okay. And then after? Then if China woman volleyball team need us, then we can get back. Oh play for China.

SPEAKER_02 20:11

Play for China. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 20:13

Does does she think about which kinds of schools or anything like that?

SPEAKER_00 20:19

Not yet.

SPEAKER_02 20:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Not yet, but I I'm pretty sure then she will enjoy the um the volleyball career. So maybe in the future she will become a um pro athlete. Pro athlete? Yeah, pro-athlete.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

And maybe playing Italy or Turkey just like my teammates. Oh, you have teammates playing in Turkey? You know, Juting.

SPEAKER_01 20:49

No.

SPEAKER_00 20:50

The the the superpower, super power in China women volleyball team. Oh, she's playing in China uh Turkey? Turkey, also Italy.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

And Italy.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Oh wow. So actually I I I was um missed the opportunity when I was young. So in 1999, I got offer from St. Louisville, the college.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Louisville?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah, and that they gave to me full scholarship.

SPEAKER_02 21:23

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

But the military cannot let me go. The who? Military.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

The military would not let you go? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Oh. So I'm sad. I'm sad. But yeah, I wish my daughter can dream come true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Okay. Now let's talk about China because I've again I've never been to China. I want to go to China and experience the culture. I want to experience uh the people and the way that you train in volleyball. Because it sounds so different.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

Yeah, so different. And uh some Chinese style, Chinese culture very strictly, just like me.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Just strict.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

Strict, yes. Okay. But you are very kind and friendly and uh always patient. So uh I think all player will love you very much.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

Okay, now yes, maybe I okay. So first of all, I played volleyball in Japan and it was very strict. Yeah. If you did not play well, you were punished physically, like they would hit the ball at you if you made a mistake. Yes. Okay, that's how I was trained. So I decided I didn't like that, so I'm never gonna do that. But I took the discipline. So my team's is very regimented and disciplined. We have structure and rules, we have to move fast, line up, straight, on the line, five minutes early, you know, it's very, very strict.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

It's definitely correct. The me too.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:04

But I o I also very nervous for um I don't want they waste the time. So I wanna they trying the best, and uh every bowl is uh like uh uh every time they can improve.

SPEAKER_02 23:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

You know, it the time's so precious.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

Time is precious, yes. So I I like to run very structured, fast practice. There's no walking. You can go get water, but you better run, run back. Uh and from one position to another, if you have to move, you go fast. Yeah, I don't have much patience for slow, casual attitude.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Yeah. But maybe for a different uh goal. If they just want to play for fun, make some friends, they can keep us down. But for me, I only in charge of an elite group. Oh, yeah. Then who wants to play game? Yeah. And just follow me. You need uh so like uh follow my rules. So like follow your discipline. It's the same thing.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah. Yeah, it's difficult though. Yeah. Um I find it difficult because the culture here in the US is not like the culture in Japan. You know, in Japan, here's the rule, here's the discipline, you know.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

That's totally different.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

You must follow.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

They have the they like a robot.

SPEAKER_02 24:32

Yeah. But here, of course, it's not like that in America. Yeah. So uh sometimes the style. Yeah, it's very I've had to adapt a little bit, but I would say in comparison to a lot of other coaches, I think many players would say that I'm more strict. But they tell me they like it. Because they see the result. Yes. We want a result, they see a different result.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

My team, my team parents very uh a lot my style.

SPEAKER_02 25:07

They like your style, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:09

They they they call it a result.

SPEAKER_02 25:11

There are results, yes. Yeah. So if you want to be competitive, you have to train competitively. Yes, and you need to train hard. Train, yeah. But I think a lot of players don't know what it means to train hard. I a lot of players come to me, make me better, make me better. They come to my clinics, say, yes, I want to become better. And then I try to get them to change. Right? You have to change how you train. Yes. If you keep training the same way, you'll keep playing the same way. So you have to change your training. Yes. So I try to explain that and then get the players to change. And some players will change and get better, and other players they're too embarrassed, uncomfortable, and don't want to change, and they don't get better.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Yeah, that's different.

SPEAKER_02 26:00

That's challenging. Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:03

But we just want to make everything better. We want to let our players they're getting better.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

Every drill, every day, every competition, you should be better. Yes. Than the last one. Every time, right? Yeah. And we never go backwards. So, but it's hard to train some players that way sometimes, I find here in the US.

SPEAKER_00 26:30

Me too. I f I found in China, Beijing. So that's why I only lead the elite team.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Same goal. Uh-huh. That's important.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

Then follow my way, same goal that we go well, got results.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Well, I would really like to come over. Please. Please come over. I will host everything. Then um China Beijing and also Shanghai. Okay. The two super big city. And uh I think you will like Beijing very much. How big is Beijing? A lot big. How many people in Beijing? Oh yeah, that's a good question. I cut it.

SPEAKER_02 27:13

I don't know. I'm not gonna cut this part. We're gonna leave it all in here. You're from Beijing and you don't know how many people are. Okay, let that deep stick, deep stick. Okay. Is it like is it as big as New York?

SPEAKER_00 27:28

Um, how do you say that? There's three more than three thousand million.

SPEAKER_02 27:35

Three thousand three billion?

SPEAKER_00 27:37

Let me no, not let me let me let me ask a deep deep.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

Oh, she's on her phone and checking. The population of Beijing, because I'm guessing it's pretty big. Okay, here. The population of Beijing is about 21.8 million people. Okay, you know the town that I live in? Uh-huh. It probably has 60,000 people. Oh, really? The town. You live in Beijing when there's 21.8 million people. Yeah. How am I gonna survive? I'm gonna need your help. I can help you.

unknown 28:22

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

I can't even imagine that me. No wonder you have 3,000 players in your club. Are you the biggest club in Beijing? Yes. Are you the best club?

SPEAKER_00 28:32

Of course.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

How many clubs do you think there are in Beijing?

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Um maybe 10 more.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

Wait a minute. You're saying in a city of 21.8 million people that there are only 11 clubs. Yes, so sad, right? Okay, now yours has 3,000. Are you the you're the biggest? So what about these other 10? Are they much smaller or maybe 100 or 200? 100 or 200 players? Yes. Per club?

SPEAKER_00 29:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 29:06

Out of 21.8 million, is volleyball not popular?

SPEAKER_00 29:11

No, volleyball is very popular, but uh remember what I told you? So they have a two different system. So most of the players keep play with the school. So they they cannot like uh go outside, train with uh club.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Oh, if you play with school, you have to stay playing with school.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Right. You cannot play club, right? Right because school already trained six times a week. Oh, and is that year round?

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Yeah.

unknown 29:39

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

Yeah, you there's no way if you play high okay. People listening to this are probably mostly in the United States. Everybody listen carefully. In China, in school, they practice six days a week all year round. Yes. So that's why they can't play club. So you have to pick one or the other, club or school.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Yeah. So some players just quit the school because it's too much.

SPEAKER_01 30:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

Then they choose club because they got more time. They're like they have a fun, they can uh focus on study. Okay. Then they also can play some tournament with us.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:24

So twice a week, they are very enjoy. But I think not too much. I I wish some teams, um, so like uh R fiber team, I wish they can play three times a week that I got more, you know. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 30:42

Three competitions?

SPEAKER_00 30:44

No, no, no. Three, three times a week the practice.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:48

So like an all-year practice, then I will make them better.

SPEAKER_02 30:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

I just uh right now so far I don't have enough time for them because they they have a lot of classes. A lot.

SPEAKER_02 31:01

So school work is a lot of time for students in China. Okay, so I went to uh high school in Japan, and that's where I learned volleyball for the first time. And we went to uh we went to school six days a week, and we had practice six days a week. Yes. All year round. I think we had maybe three weeks off in a year. Same. Same? It's the same. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

Is that because uh we're in a lot? We're Asian style.

SPEAKER_02 31:33

I know, and the practices were so long. Then they were all easy to get injured. I went home every day, like kind of limited. Exhaust. Something hurt, that hurt, because it was brutal. It was the the training was so intense. Same. Some days I would go home, lie down in bed, I'm hurting all over and thinking, I'm gonna die. This is too much. This is too much.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

But I went back the next day. You have to, you don't have a choice. I know. Yeah. So do I. So uh when I was um pro athlete. Pro, yeah. Yeah, uh, we trained six days, six plus half days. So most of the time uh Sunday, we were all going to gym, uh huh, then for some sur receive.

SPEAKER_01 32:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Then if I'm a setter, I need to set against the wall five hundred times.

SPEAKER_02 32:33

Five hundred.

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

Okay, so when I was playing in high school, this is not pro, but in high school, we had to do, before practice, we had to do 200 passes in a row.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 32:44

And then we had to do 200 sets in a row. Before practice started.

SPEAKER_00 32:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:50

I that's what we did.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

Uh when I was young, I was uh trained against the wall for a year. Only bombing against the wall, setting against the wall. I never learned how to spike or play on the court. So all the fundamental skills against the wall. By yourself? By myself. Then with uh some uh newbies. Okay, but why? They say if you don't have the like a very smooth fundamental skills, you cannot play on the court.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

So they make you pass and sit against the wall for a year?

SPEAKER_00 33:32

Yeah, kind of almost. If you ask the other Chinese, the same thing. So so that's why I create my club. I just wanna create more found drills for every student, for every player. Okay. You cannot just against the wall. You know, China China have a test. So like uh uh elementary test or middle school test against the wall one minute for 30 or 40 times is a test.

SPEAKER_02 34:06

You have to pass against the wall 30 times within one minute.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

Yeah. And uh the other one is um they have a square. Then you bomb uh you bomb the ball by yourself one minute and uh 40 times.

SPEAKER_02 34:23

But you have to stay in the square? Yes. And that's a school test? Yes. What happens if you don't pass the test?

SPEAKER_00 34:30

Um you just not get a point. They have like a plus point. Ten, I think a ten or twenty.

SPEAKER_02 34:39

So all the students have to do this.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

They have uh three sports, maybe more. So soccer, soccer, basketball, okay, volleyball.

SPEAKER_01 34:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 34:49

So uh I think for girls, they they will choose volleyball.

SPEAKER_02 34:54

Girls usually oh usually, usually, yeah. Volleyball. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

Yeah. Of a boys, maybe they um choose basketball or soccer. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 35:06

Then for now, they have badminton. Table tennis.

SPEAKER_02 35:10

They have what? Oh, badminton. Yes, badminton. I played badminton when I was in Japan. Oh. I was on the badminton team for one year.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

Oh, really? Yeah. The same motion.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

It's fast.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

You have to move fast in badminton.

SPEAKER_00 35:28

Very fun.

SPEAKER_02 35:29

Yeah. Okay, or ping pong.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

Uh yeah, ping pong.

SPEAKER_02 35:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:33

I can play with it.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

What do you call ping pong? How do you say it in Chinese? Ping pong chou.

SPEAKER_00 35:38

Ping pong chou? Chio is a ball. Oh. Ping pong.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

In Japanese it's takyu.

SPEAKER_00 35:45

Takyu? Mm-hmm. Takyu. Haiku. Did you watch it? Haiku? I've never watched haiku. Haiku. Did you watch it? Yes, of course.

SPEAKER_02 35:56

So many of my followers uh tell me that I need to watch it. I've never watched it. You should.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Why? Because uh it's um how do you say re reality or real life for volleyball players? Really? Yes. But it's uh animation. I know, but please go watch it. Okay, I will go watch. Every every like uh tiny emotion, you know, is the how do they think that uh they have a setter. The setter pretty strong and uh he can jump surf, but uh they argue every player, the every hitters, the faster, faster, why you cannot hit the audio oyasama, do you know the Japanese?

SPEAKER_01 36:52

What?

SPEAKER_00 36:52

Oyasama is uh longly longly king that means I I I I'm not sure because uh I could remember how to the pronunciation.

SPEAKER_02 37:03

Oh, okay. I'll have to watch it.

SPEAKER_00 37:05

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:06

But he's so lonely. But he just wanna be strong.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

All right. Uh Japanese name, the Hinada. Shoyang. Oh.

SPEAKER_02 37:17

That's a character?

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Hinada Shoyun. It's uh uh short spiker.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:26

He's a middle blocker, only 160, but he can jump very, very high.

SPEAKER_02 37:31

160 playing a middle.

SPEAKER_00 37:33

I think so. Oh, yeah. Okay. Hinada. Yeah, I remember that name. Okay. I'll Kageyama? Kagiyama? I've heard that name. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Kagiyama is a setter.

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Okay, I'll I'll look. I'll I'll take a look. Okay, I have a I have a question though. What do you think is the biggest difference between volleyball in the US and volleyball in China?

SPEAKER_00 37:57

Numbers.

SPEAKER_02 37:59

Numbers? What do you mean?

SPEAKER_00 38:00

Like a participant numbers.

SPEAKER_02 38:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 38:03

Um because um we didn't have um too much of philosophy, too much of facility. You don't have too many facilities. Too many facilities, and we don't have uh um some we don't have too much club, we don't have so many clubs.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 38:21

Then that's why they they they love volleyball, but they don't know where I can find uh who can teach us. Oh. Then you know the the selection system is different. If you play with a school, you are you already in that pool. Okay. But for the normal people, normal students, they don't have a chance to learn or play volleyball.

SPEAKER_02 38:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 38:51

So that's a different.

SPEAKER_02 38:53

So are you saying that there are more opportunities in America?

SPEAKER_00 38:57

Yes. They have a lot of clubs.

SPEAKER_02 39:00

Oh, there's so many clubs.

SPEAKER_00 39:02

So many clubs. Maybe more than 200 clubs in one state?

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Yeah. There are some, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:11

But in Beijing, I can count maybe 10 more.

SPEAKER_02 39:16

So 10 or 11 clubs.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 39:19

In a city that has 21.8 million people.

SPEAKER_00 39:22

That's why.

SPEAKER_02 39:23

It's a different so is it not enough facility because you need more space for people to live?

SPEAKER_00 39:30

No. I need to pay for the facility.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

Is it expensive?

SPEAKER_00 39:36

Very expensive. Oh. So that's why uh a lot of people cannot uh keep doing the the career. So I we need support from the government, but nobody supports us. So I need to pay um the facility by myself. I ran the court for a year, I paid a lot of money, then let my students come to train.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:01

Yeah, that's that's different. And also, uh, you know, in the United States, they will select very good players from the college. Okay the uh NCAA. But um in China it's different. We only have uh 10 or 12 teams for professional, they're like a professional athlete, that system, so not too much.

SPEAKER_02 40:32

Okay, so that's the biggest difference. More opportunities, more facilities in the United States compared to China.

SPEAKER_00 40:40

So for example, if I only have 160 high.

SPEAKER_02 40:45

160 for your height, 160 centimeters.

SPEAKER_00 40:48

Yeah, I cannot get any chance to play pro.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

No chance.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

No chance. They only select 190 centimeters over, maybe over 190 centimeters, that player, they will get a chance to train with a good team.

SPEAKER_01 41:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 41:09

Then probably they have the couple players, not that high, but they have a really good skills, or the uh the parents is uh uh what used to play some sports. Oh, okay. But in United States, everybody got the chan opportunities, chances equal. So everybody can play volleyball, right? Then I wouldn't say it's equal. Equal.

SPEAKER_02 41:38

No, why? Uh yeah, I mean there are differences. There are there are kids who can't afford to play volleyball uh or don't have the opportunities depending on where they live. But it sounds like maybe more opportunity here than in Beijing. Sounds like Yes. Okay. Now what's the biggest difference in now what's the biggest difference in the training style, do you think? Or when you you're here right now in Arizona and you're here at a tournament with your teams, uh, and you look around or you see the the competition or you watch the coach on the other side. What do you notice is different about these teams from usually from around here or American teams?

SPEAKER_00 42:31

They are very they have a passionate with um volleyball. Then they can show it up.

SPEAKER_02 42:39

They they they're passionate?

SPEAKER_00 42:41

So like um they have a desire. Yeah. Then the uh um, you know Asia people, I don't know Japanese, but Chinese, a little bit shy. Oh, quiet, yes. Quiet. Yeah, Japanese. Quiet, quiet. Yeah. But the the the the other team, they are very happy. They enjoy the tournament, yeah, that even they made the mistakes. Even if they make mistakes, yeah. Yes. So but for for my team, when they made the mistakes, they were they look at me. I just sometimes say, you should do that, you should do that, adjust to them. Now sometimes it's just uh it's okay. I encourage them. But for um some local team, they don't care about they made the mistakes or they just enjoy the game. Sometimes they'll just laugh. Yes. But for me, I cannot. You made mistakes, you cannot laugh.

SPEAKER_02 43:46

So when when uh someone makes a mistake on your team, what do you do as a coach?

SPEAKER_00 43:50

Um just uh say uh you maybe you should put, for example, if they made a serving mistake, I will say that you should uh like accelerate the at the last part or you don't change the direction or you need to tie your palm I just uh say some uh um strategy so technique technique so you're correcting them yes I'm correcting them every time every time I teach my daughter you should tip to the center because the area is empty yeah yeah yeah I you always teaching my daughter when my daughter just uh hit over uh hit out of court hit over but not get point that say your wrist then either roll faster or something like that. Yeah technique stuff all the time yeah that's different do you get upset when your players get a lot of mistakes of course it drive me crazy okay then what do you do do you get really ups mad no I was I wouldn't show up I'm not you don't show it yeah you don't yell at them I well I well I well but sometimes I'm yelling because it's too loud uh during the game and they too loud so they can nah they hear yeah hear me so I shout out and uh talk to them very loud but I'm not angry I just want to the like uh the same the technique part right but it's so loud that you have to yell louder or they can't hear you right okay yeah but I'm not angry about they're not angry okay because they're little kids they're kids they're kids they're nine years old nine years nine years old and they practice so much then they're crying when they made mistakes they cry mm-hmm then keep crying keep playing during the game they're crying during the yes I just uh encourage them it's okay it's okay a lot of precious ink really they cry during the game yes the uh last game uh for the mornings uh morning pool um we play the final set so the got a lot of precious the one wing but the afraid to make the mistake when they made mistakes and the decrying but they say it's okay it's a trust yourself I'm here to support you then trust me you just need to listen to me then you will get wing so that's why I'm like uh mama you're like a mama I I I'm like uh coach sister and mama okay there's a saying here called tough love tough love or you know that term no okay so you're not angry at them you want them to get better so that's the love part but it's tough tough love oh it's disciplined structured it's beautiful it's there's a term it's called tough love tough love yeah I gonna make a t-shirt tough love okay make me one too that that's my design oh can you see oh if you're watching on YouTube you can see the back of her shirt that's your design that's uh my name Bai Ring Pai Chiu and the Gao Xiao Xing the quality over quantity quality over quantity okay I like that I can give you one I have a black and gold yes yes I bring you tomorrow okay what size are you 180 oh I don't well I don't know what I'm gonna centimeter anymore.

SPEAKER_02 48:06

Okay so do you have any last minute thoughts on I just I I have a question.

SPEAKER_00 48:16

So I know you you coaching volleyball with love and that you always talking to students very kind. I try you are so you as you natural born or you're just uh trying to learn the way you can communicate with uh the y younger players okay so yes I I think of coaching as teaching I consider myself a teacher and coaching is teaching I learned how to coach when I was a high school teacher that's when I first started coaching and I was an assistant varsity varsity assistant coach okay at a high school and the head coach was also a teacher and I learned a lot from him it was about teaching just like in a classroom to get everybody interested in the topic and wanting them to learn on their own that they want to get better and enjoy the game.

SPEAKER_02 49:32

But you had to plan your practice you had he had a structure he planned everything out like a lesson plan when you're a teacher in a classroom. So that's where I learned that. So I plan all my practices from 7 o'clock to 710 is this 710 to 720 is this drill and I have to map it out and I look at the whole thing and I go how much time am I spending on serving passing hitting defense does it look balanced and and and I do 50% of every practice is serving and passing for younger kids. For younger kids but even for my high school players I do minimum 50% serving passing. Yeah so I learned that it's teaching and and there's students so that's what I tried to carry on as I as I learned from a lot of different people about the technique I sought out a lot of coaches and asked them and watched them and say can I stay in your gym and sit in your gym and watch you train a lot and I learned a lot of technique but I also just kept remembering that I I can't just force the players to just say do this and then they're gonna do it. They can't they have to learn why and how to do it.

SPEAKER_00 51:09

I totally agreeing with you the when I um I'm I'm the FIVB coach I passed the the coaches level three I'm the FIVB level three yes wow that I'm the um first one okay the woman female coach in China I got that certificate I'm not the first one you're the first one yes okay so um you know John Castle uh from I5B is the instructor and he taught us um never become the last coach with your player so don't uh let them quit or play volleyball don't let them quit uh don't be the last coach don't be their last coach don't be the last coach of your player oh yeah sometimes we use the wrong way so let them lose the passion oh then sometimes we just uh not giving them the good advice then cannot let them keep playing and also he told me never stop learning so yeah I s I just um totally agreeing with you so I learn a lot from the other coach I'm always trying to learn from other coaches me too so that's why we can sit here then talking yeah I I I tell myself if I wake up someday and I say I know everything that's the day I should quit because I'm gonna stop learning.

SPEAKER_02 53:04

Yeah that's why I want to come to Beijing and learn what you're doing there. Yeah please come you you are more than welcome okay yeah John Kessel I'm gonna go see John Kessel next month.

SPEAKER_00 53:20

Oh really you can uh talking about uh do you remember a Chinese girls in Thailand and uh I I am I am uh only one Chinese coach then participate in that class because nobody can speak English but even I cannot speak very good smooth smoothly but I will keep learning. Yeah well you speak English better than I speak Chinese there's no question about that I know nihao niha yeah okay there's one and um volleyball coach is a pai chou pai chou pai chu is a volleyball pai chou uh coach is a qiao lian qiaol right my name is paiing bai is white is cloud so paiing good pronunciation okay thank you for the lesson and thank you for joining me today I'm so happy and having this nice chat yes then I just can't believe I can sit here and use English and talking to you the keep learning this is this is great after the tournament I will go to Stanford then uh Kevin Humbly the head coach invited me to become uh summer camp uh coach I'm gonna be in charge of uh three blocks for setter group when is that it's um I think it's uh july july 8th starting from July 8th oh then to july 16th oh yeah 16th of July well that should be fun yeah I want to learn a lot of things from the other coach that's why that they invite a lot international coach okay well Stanford has a pretty good program yeah it's my dream school that's your dream school oh that's dream country maybe your daughter can play there of course just uh yeah they wave my daughter feet I can't tell no it's up to you I can cut it out yeah cut it out then they wave my daughter feet and let them stay with me oh for a whole camp cool just to cut it wow okay thank you very much today for spending the time thank you very much with me yeah and maybe the next time we meet is in Beijing yeah of course of course let's do this okay we're friends okay appreciate you being here today keep learning keep growing and remember let's play volleyball because it's fun and we'll see you in the next episode just go