"The Medallist Coach" -- Chen Zhonghe
金牌教练——陈忠和
China Women's Volleyball Team, which won the "Penta Crown" under the guidance of coach Yuan Weimin in 1980s, used to be the pride of China and will be remembered forever. But after that, it hadn't won any world champion in the following ten years. It's a cruel thing for Chinese people. At the dawn of August 29th 2004, many Chinese people were watching the volleyball match on TV. It's the women's volleyball final in the Athens Olympic Games. It's a match between China and Russia. Though China failed in 2 courts at first, they won the last 3 courts and defeated the powerful Russia finally. The Five-Starred Red flag waved in Athens Olympic Games again, and China Women's Volleyball Team won the world champion again after losing it 20 years. The coach of this team is Chen Zhonghe.
提到中国女排，大家就会想起上世纪80年代她们创下“五连冠”奇迹给国人带来巨大惊喜和欣慰。但是随后的十几年来中国女排再也没有得到过国际排球大赛的冠军，这对曾经以“中国女排”为骄傲的国人来说是一种残酷。2004年8月29日凌晨，相信很多的体育爱好者还在电视机前为中国女排加油助威，终于，中国女排在0：2落后的局势下，连扳三局完美大逆转战胜强敌俄罗斯队。雅典的奥运赛场五星红旗又一次高高飘扬，中国女排在时隔20年后再次站在世界最高领奖台上。而带领这支队伍夺得冠军的教练就是陈忠和。
Chen Zhonghe was born in the city of Longhai, Fujian province on September 30th 1957. He is the head coach of China Women's Volleyball Team now. This man who comes from Southern Fujian believes in the proverb that "You will succeed only if you strive for what you want". Chen Zhonghe was selected to the Fujian Provincial Men's Volleyball Team in 1971, and retired in 1979. In this period, he and his team won the 3rd place in National Men's Volleyball League in 1977, and the champion of it in 1978. After the retirement, Chen Zhonghe was appointed to be a trial coach of China Women's Volleyball Team. In this period, this team won the "Penta Crown". In 1986, he went to the Fujian Provincial Women's Volleyball Team to be a coach. He and this team won the 3rd place in the National Women's Volleyball League and the champion in the 6th National Games. In 1989, he was appointed to be an assistant coach of China Women's Volleyball Team, and led this team with the head coach Hu Jin secured the 2nd place in the 11th World Women's Volleyball Championships and the 6th Women's Volleyball World Cup, and the 7th place in the 25th Olympic Games. In 1993, he went back to the Fujian Provincial Women's Volleyball Team to be the head coach, and promoted this team to China Women's Volleyball League from the second division. In 1995, he was appointed to be a coach of China Women's Volleyball Team to be an assistant of head coach Lang Ping. Then this team won the 3rd place in the 7th Women's Volleyball World Cup, the 2nd place in the 26th Olympic Games and the 13th World Championships, and gold medals in the 9th Asian Women's Volleyball Championships and the 13th Asian Games. In 1999, he was still a coach of this team, and led this team with the head coach Hu jin and won gold medal in the 10th Asian Women's Volleyball Championships, the 5th place in the 8th Women's Volleyball World Cup and the 27th Olympic Games. In early 2001, Chen Zhonghe, who had served as head coach for five time in this team, finally became the head coach in the 6th head-coach-selection in his life. In the afternoon of November 1st 2001, China Women's Volleyball Team was in the match against the Brazil. His team was in adverse situation even at the beginning. All the players were very nervous and sullen then. Chen Zhonghe sensed the pressure, but encouraged and said, "Are you warmed up enough?" His words broke the freezing air. They knew the "warm-up" is ended, and they had no more choice but try to win. Then they defeated their rival in the following 3 courts and won the first match. It was Chen Zhonghe's smiles that gave the girls special strength in matches. His smile embodies his insights in life and self-confidence in sport. At the end of 2003, he and China Women's Volleyball Team won the world champion they had lost for 17 years with no-fail in 11 series matches. At the same time, he was promoted to be one of the 10 persons in "Touching China 2003" for his "persistent efforts and striking smiles". In August 2004, China Women's Volleyball Team joined in the Athens Olympic Games. Every Chinese hoped they would win gold medal there. As expected, China Women's Volleyball Team played bravely and met the strong opponent Russia Women's Volleyball Team in the final. With their efforts, China Women's Volleyball Team took a turn for the worse and defeated the rival at the end. That's the most classic reverse in world volleyball history. Chinese people have lost and dreamt for the regain of volleyball champion in Olympic Games for 20 years, and this gold medal winning by Chen Zhonghe and his girls fullfilles it.
陈忠和于1957年9月30日出生于福建省龙海市，现任中国女子排球国家队主教练，是一位笃信“爱拼才会赢” 的闽南汉子。1971年，陈忠和成为福建省青年男排运动员，1979年退役，在其运动员生涯期间曾获得1977年全国男排甲级联赛第三名、1978年全国男排甲级联赛冠军。退役之后，陈忠和服从组织安排调任中国国家女排陪打教练，在此期间中国国家女排获得“五连冠”的辉煌荣誉。1986年又回到福建女排任教练，在福建女排任教练期间，福建女排获得全国女排甲级联赛第三名、第六届全运会冠军。1989年调国家女排任助理教练，协助主教练胡进带领国家女排获得第十一届世界女排锦标赛亚军、第六届世界杯女排赛亚军、第25届奥运会第七名。1993年回福建女排担任主教练，带领福建女排从甲B晋升甲A。1995年，调国家女排担任教练，协助主教练郎平带领国家女排获得第七届世界杯女排赛第三名、第26届奥运会亚军、第九届亚洲女排锦标赛冠军、第13届世界锦标赛亚军、第13届亚运会冠军。1999年——继续担任国家女排教练，协助主教练胡进带领国家女排获得第十届亚洲女排锦标赛冠军、第八届世界杯女排赛第五名、第27届奥运会第五名。2001年初，“五朝元老”陈忠和终于在第六次“入朝”后从“媳妇”升级成了“婆婆”，出任中国女排主教练。2003年11月1日下午，在第九届世界杯赛场上，中国女排首战巴西队，开局就陷入了困境，此时，女排姑娘的脸都绷得紧紧的，全无笑容。陈忠和虽也很着急，但他只轻松的对姑娘们说了一句：“你们活动开了没有？”全队顿时扭转了心态，意识到“热身运动”到此为止，开始了真正的搏杀，最终拿下3局夺得了首场的胜利。在这一次次的胜利中，陈忠和的微笑，给女排姑娘们传递着特别的力量，他的笑容充满了对人生的洞察与体悟，充满了乐观与信心。这一年底，他率领中国女排以11战不败的战绩重夺阔别17年的世界冠军奖杯，并以“执着拼搏和动人微笑”成为2003年感动中国十大人物之一。2004年8月，中国女排面临着更大的考验——将要出征雅典奥运会，能否在雅典奥运会上问鼎冠军牵动了亿万国人的心。果然实力不俗的中国女排一路过关斩将，在决赛中遇到多年的劲敌俄罗斯队，在中国姑娘们顽强的拼搏下，险胜俄罗斯队，上演了世界排坛上最为经典的大反盘。陈忠和率领中国女排时隔20年后再次获得奥运会金牌，圆了国人盼了20年的奥运女排金牌梦。
Now Chen Zhonghe is still the head coach of China Women's Volleyball Team. Volleyball is not only his career, but also the "matchmaker" of his marriage. His wife is Li Donghong, who used to be a player of Fujian Provincial Women's Volleyball Team when Chen Zhonghe was a coach there. After she retired, Li Donghong went to study in a university. But they had kept in touch with each other. In 1995, thanks to the volleyball their "matchmaker", they got married.
目前的陈忠和仍然是中国国家女子排球队的主教练，排球成了他毕生的事业，同时也成为他婚姻的“红娘”。陈忠和的爱人李东红就曾是福建女排的一名运动员，那时的陈忠和是福建女排的教练员，后来李东红退役，进入大学念书直到参加工作，二人一直保持联系。1995年，排球这个“红娘”终于使二人踏上了婚姻的红地毯。
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