Lang Ping
Encyclopedia
MedalGold
MedalGold (1982 World Championship 1982 Perú
"Jenny" Lang Ping ' onMouseout='HidePop("20151")' href="/topics/Beijing">Beijing
), is a former Chinese
volleyball
player and the former head coach of the U.S.
women's national volleyball team. Her nickname is the "Iron Hammer".
In 2002, she became an inductee of the Volleyball Hall of Fame
in Holyoke, Massachusetts
. She coached the U.S. National team to a silver medal in at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in her home country.
, and is of Manchu
ethnicity.
She moved to the United States
to study and serve as an assistant volleyball coach at the University of New Mexico
. When asked of her move, she said she wanted "to taste a normal life." She has an 18-year old daughter, Lydia Bai, who is a member of the Stanford Women's Volleyball Team.
She maintains Chinese citizenship despite living in the U.S for more than 15 years.
that won the Gold Medal over the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles, California
. She was also a member of the team that won World Championship crown in 1982 in Peru
and World Cup titles in 1981 and 1985.
Also was 2nd placed in a World Championship in China 1990.
from 1987-89 and 1992-93.
In 1995, Lang became the head coach of the Chinese national team and eventually guided the squad to the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia
and second place at the 1998 World Championships in Japan. Lang Ping resigned from the Chinese national team in 1998 due to health reasons. In the following year, she took a head coaching position in the Italian professional volleyball league and enjoyed great success there, winning the league championship and the coach of the year award multiple times.
She became the coach of the US National Team in 2005. Lang guided the team to the 2008 Olympics, where the US team faced off with China in her home country. The US team defeated China 3-2. Chinese president
Hu Jintao
attended the match. The match drew 250 million television viewers in China alone. The team went on to win the silver medal, losing to Brazil in the finals 3-1. Lang resigned from the position in 2008, citing that she wanted to spend more time with her family.
MedalGold (1982 World Championship 1982 Perú
"Jenny" Lang Ping ' onMouseout='HidePop("20151")' href="/topics/Beijing">Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
), is a former Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player and the former head coach of the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
women's national volleyball team. Her nickname is the "Iron Hammer".
In 2002, she became an inductee of the Volleyball Hall of Fame
Volleyball Hall of Fame
The Volleyball Hall of Fame was founded to honor extraordinary players, coaches, officials, and leaders who have made significant contributions to the game of volleyball. The hall is located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G...
in Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
. She coached the U.S. National team to a silver medal in at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in her home country.
Biography
Lang Ping was born in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and is of Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
ethnicity.
She moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to study and serve as an assistant volleyball coach at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
. When asked of her move, she said she wanted "to taste a normal life." She has an 18-year old daughter, Lydia Bai, who is a member of the Stanford Women's Volleyball Team.
She maintains Chinese citizenship despite living in the U.S for more than 15 years.
Career
Lang was a member of the Chinese National TeamChina women's national volleyball team
The China women's national volleyball team represents the People's Republic of China in international volleyball competitions and friendly matches. It's one of the leading squads in women's international volleyball, twice having won the Olympic title .China took five consecutive World titles in...
that won the Gold Medal over the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. She was also a member of the team that won World Championship crown in 1982 in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and World Cup titles in 1981 and 1985.
Also was 2nd placed in a World Championship in China 1990.
Legacy in China
Owing to her central role in the success of the Chinese women's volleyball team in the 1980s, Lang was seen as a cultural icon and is one of the most respected people in modern Chinese sports history. At the end of the 1976 Cultural Revolution, China re-joined the sporting world. Though the Chinese ping-pong team won competitions internationally, ping-pong had always been considered Chinese expertise. Lang and the women's volleyball team was the first team sport to win the World Championship multiple times, concluding with the 1984 Olympics. Lang was the star Outside Hitter on the team. She will always be remembered as one of the very first world Champions for China.Coaching
Lang Ping was an assistant coach at the University of New MexicoUniversity of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
from 1987-89 and 1992-93.
In 1995, Lang became the head coach of the Chinese national team and eventually guided the squad to the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and second place at the 1998 World Championships in Japan. Lang Ping resigned from the Chinese national team in 1998 due to health reasons. In the following year, she took a head coaching position in the Italian professional volleyball league and enjoyed great success there, winning the league championship and the coach of the year award multiple times.
She became the coach of the US National Team in 2005. Lang guided the team to the 2008 Olympics, where the US team faced off with China in her home country. The US team defeated China 3-2. Chinese president
President of the People's Republic of China
The President of the People's Republic of China is a ceremonial office and a part of State organs under the National People's Congress and it is the head of state of the People's Republic of China . The office was created by the 1982 Constitution...
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
attended the match. The match drew 250 million television viewers in China alone. The team went on to win the silver medal, losing to Brazil in the finals 3-1. Lang resigned from the position in 2008, citing that she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Major titles
- World Cup 1981 (World Champion)
- World Championship 1982 (World Champion)
- Los Angeles Olympic Games 1984 (World Champion)
- World Cup 1985 (World Champion)
Honors
- Chinese Top Ten Athletes of the year, 1981-1986
- FIVB Coach of the Year, 1996
- Woman Volleyball Coach in Italy of the year, 1999-2000