It was a summer afternoon in 1986. Before the summer heat in Beijing had dissipated, eight-year-old Feng Kun was taken by his mother to a gymnasium to sign up for a summer track and field training class.
As a little girl born in a scholarly family, Feng Kun didn't quite understand the meaning of sports, she just obediently followed her mother's steps.
"I'm sorry, but this summer track and field class is full!" The teacher who signed up looked embarrassed.
Feng Kun's mother was a little disappointed, she wanted to exercise Feng Kun's still weak body through track and field. Just as the two were about to leave, the teacher's words changed Feng Kun's fate.
"This little girl is in good shape and suitable for learning Xi volleyball, would you consider signing her up for a summer volleyball school?"
At that time, it was the heyday of the Chinese women's volleyball team's five consecutive championships, and volleyball had a huge influence. So, at the suggestion of the teacher, Feng Kun walked into the first volleyball class in his life.
Unexpectedly, in the month-long summer school, Feng Kun's talent and athletic cells have been initially displayed. The tall body, quick reflexes, and excellent explosiveness quickly attracted the attention of the coach.
"I'm optimistic about this child, she is very talented in volleyball, you must let her continue to persevere!" When parting, the coach found Feng Kun's mother and said truthfully.
So, with the encouragement and support of his mother, Feng Kun chose to continue learning volleyball Xi a new sport. At that time, she didn't understand that this was just a whim of her mother, and it would affect her life.
And volleyball, because of this, quietly entered Feng Kun's world and became an important part of her life. Many years later, every time he recalls that inadvertent moment, Feng Kun can't help but smile - it turns out that all good things start from ordinary accidents.
A few years later, Feng Kun's talent and potential were finally discovered by someone. In a competition between the junior teams, Feng Kun's outstanding performance attracted the attention of the sports school coach.
"Child, I would like to recommend you to Shihai Sports School for professional training, your volleyball talent should not be buried. ”
The affirmation of a good coach is the ladder of achievement of an excellent student. At the age of 15, Feng Kun entered the Beijing women's volleyball system and officially became a professional athlete.
When she wore a bright match uniform, walked onto the standard volleyball court, and listened to the referee's loud first whistle, Feng Kun exhaled deeply - she knew that her volleyball road had officially begun.
At the age of 18, Feng Kun met his life mentor, Lang Ping, one of the greatest head coaches in the history of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
At the beginning of 1997, Lang Ping, who had just led the Chinese women's volleyball team to win the gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics, took over the position of head coach of the women's volleyball team. He is keenly aware that the key position of setter is in the midst of change and the replacement of the old and the new.
Feng Kun, a tall newcomer with excellent adaptability, is in line with the standards of a new generation of setters in his heart.
So, Lang Ping resolutely made a bold decision. He recruited Feng Kun directly into the national team training camp and is ready to focus on cultivating her in the coming year, hoping that she can grow into the team's core setter.
This decision was questioned and puzzled by many veteran members of the team.
"Kunkun is still young, and her experience and strength are limited, so it would be too risky to let her be selected directly. ”
"Our main setter is going to the Sydney Olympics soon, and using a new player at this time will disrupt the rhythm of the team. ”
Lang Ping listened to everyone's opinions without humility or arrogance, and finally left a sentence: "I believe in Feng Kun's potential, she represents the new hope of the setter of the Chinese women's volleyball team, and I am willing to give her a chance."
At that time, Feng Kun was still a little girl who had just turned 18 years old. Receiving the affirmation of Coach Lang Ping is the greatest pride in her junior volleyball career. Confident, she firmly believes that she will be able to shine on the stage of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
However, after two months of high-intensity training, there is still a certain gap between Feng Kun's basic skills and the requirements of the national team. Lang Ping also had to admit that the current Feng Kun is not fully qualified for the position of the main setter.
"Kunkun, you go back to the provincial team to train hard, and the national team welcomes you back at any time. Before leaving, Lang Ping patted Feng Kun's shoulder to encourage her.
Feng Kun left the national team gloomily. Seeing that her dream was in front of her, but she left due to a lack of momentary shortcomings, her heart was full of disappointment and regret.
"It's that I'm not good enough, Coach Lang Ping is right, I must work hard!"
Back at his residence, Feng Kun swore secretly in the mirror. She knows she still has a lot of work to do to get back into the national team. Volleyball is the most important part of her life, and she will never let go easily.
In 2001, the Chinese women's volleyball team changed its head coach. Successor Chen Zhonghe made a personnel decision that surprised everyone on the first day of taking office - to reactivate Feng Kun, who had left the national team before, as the main setter to replace the previous replacement.
"Kun Kun's performance in the provincial team and league in recent years is obvious to all, and I believe that she has the strength of a setter in the national team. Coach Chen's words were full of confidence.
Feng Kun, who returned to the national team, knew that this was another opportunity given to her by God. The regret of leaving the team for the first time reminded her that this time she must give her all and live up to the expectations of her coach and teammates.
At first, the other players were still skeptical about the decision to hire the new coach. Feng Kun ignored the scrutiny and discussion, just silently trained, ran in, and tried to find his position in this reconstituted team.
"I believe in Feng Kun, she will prove herself this time. Coach Chen said to the players.
Gradually, Feng Kun's steady performance, excellent organization and rhythmic ability won the trust of his teammates and coaching staff. For a time, she became the new banner and mainstay of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
The 2003 Women's Volleyball World Cup was the best stage for Feng Kun to prove herself. Throughout the event, Feng Kun was as stable as a clockwork machine, and he controlled the rhythm delicately, perfectly connecting every link of the team.
In the end, the Chinese women's volleyball team won the championship again after 17 years! In the finals, Feng Kun performed even better, repeatedly creating offensive opportunities for his teammates. She was named the best setter of the tournament.
For a time, the name "Feng Kun" became a well-known star for the whole people. Every time she appears in public, she unconsciously tenses her nerves, for fear that she will have any gaffes and affect the image of the women's volleyball team.
"Good players slack off, great players don't. After winning the World Cup, Lang Ping once said to her. This sentence always reminds Feng Kun to maintain his fighting spirit of humility and not afraid of strong enemies.
A year later, the Athens Olympics became another highlight of Feng Kun's career. Although he fell behind the Russian team 2:0, Feng Kun calmly commanded on the field, fought side by side with his teammates, and gritted his teeth to complete the big reversal.
At that moment, the first gold medal of the Chinese women's volleyball team in 20 years was so dazzling! And Feng Kun also engraved his name forever in the hearts of the Chinese people.
After the first peak of his career, Feng Kun soon experienced his first real low.
In the 2006 World Championships, the Chinese women's volleyball team encountered the equally powerful Brazilian team in the quarterfinals. In the end, they lost to their opponents with a score of 0:3 and missed the semi-finals.
This is Feng Kun's first major defeat since he was selected for the national team.
"Maybe we're really not strong enough, and we're still not close to the best teams in the world. After the game, Feng Kun sat quietly in the locker room alone. She couldn't really listen to the comfort of her teammates and coaches, and the whole person fell into inexplicable self-blame and panic.
In the following year, Feng Kun was not selected by the national team to participate in any official competitions. It is said that in addition to strength, the psychological state is also an important reason why the coaching staff did not call her.
"No matter how strong a team or athlete is, it will inevitably hit a low point. When injuries and defeats strike, what we need is not to escape, but courage and confidence. After a long time, Feng Kun saw this sentence in Lang Ping's letter of encouragement.
In 2008, the new head coach Wei Qiuyue used Feng Kun again.
"Kunkun, this time, lead everyone to the top. ”
In the end, Feng Kun led the Chinese women's volleyball team to win the bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics. Although it is not the most glorious gold medal, this medal does not carry light weight at all. It proves their indomitable fighting spirit and Feng Kun's heart of never giving up.
After that, Feng Kun decisively chose to leave the national team and join an Italian club. Here, no one expects her to save national honor, she just needs to concentrate on playing and enjoying the joy of volleyball - this is the truest desire of her heart.
Two years later, Feng Kun returned to China and joined the Guangzhou Evergrande women's volleyball team led by coach Lang Ping. The re-cooperation with her mentor filled the regret of her leaving the national team. It wasn't until he retired with honor in 2011 that Feng Kun finally completed his 16-year career.
Ups and downs, mountains and rivers are full of doubts. Walking through the trough, she learned to be strong; Through the trials, she has grown. In the eyes of everyone, the brilliance created by Feng Kun and the Chinese women's volleyball team will always shine with golden light.
In 2011, 34-year-old Feng Kun held a personal honorable retirement ceremony in Beijing. After 16 years of her career, she is finally free to choose her future direction.
However, for Feng Kun, volleyball will always be an indispensable part of her life.
The day after his retirement, Feng Kun officially became the head coach of the Chinese national second team. Training with her teammates, studying tactics, and passing on her experience to her juniors has become her most important job after retiring.
"Coach Feng Kun is the best setter in my mind, and I will do my best to live up to her guidance if I can get her guidance!"
The words of the young players often made Feng Kun feel comforted. It turns out that becoming a teacher will also be respected by others. This sense of responsibility keeps her awake to work hard and pass on the best of the best.
In 2014, Feng Kun met his other half, the head coach of the Thai women's volleyball team, Gabonti, and officially entered the palace of marriage.
Gabonti, who is 12 years older than her, has led the Thai women's volleyball team to create a number of international achievements, and is known as the "godfather of the Thai women's volleyball team" by fans. What makes Feng Kun appreciate even more is that Gabonti, like her, has dedicated her life to love and volleyball.
After getting married, Feng Kun officially moved to Thailand and started a family life. Whenever asked "whether she is reluctant to leave the Chinese women's volleyball team", she will say lightly: "Home is a place where there is a lover."
With a new environment and a new language, the only thing that left her homesick was her dedication and love for volleyball. Coaching the Thai women's volleyball youth team allowed Feng Kun to find a sense of belonging in a foreign country.
She imparts her experience to her students without reservation and gradually builds her own coaching style.
Today's Feng Kun is not only the coach Feng Kun who is loved by the players, but also the mother of Feng Kun who is busy. In 2018, she welcomed her first child.
Stroking the baby's soft palm, Feng Kun's heart was more satisfied and joyful than any moment of winning the championship on the court.
Perhaps in the eyes of many people, she has withdrawn from her field of vision now and is no longer the focus of the domestic women's volleyball team. But Feng Kun knows that as long as she still has volleyball in her heart, she will never be ordinary - she is still the Feng Kun who constantly overcomes weaknesses and surpasses herself, and she still has the momentum and passion of her youth.
The reason why Feng Kun can become one of the most outstanding athletes in the history of the Chinese women's volleyball team is due to her unquenchable fighting spirit and passion for volleyball. It is this spirit that supports her to defeat again and again, and finally reach the pinnacle of life.
"Those who know me say that my heart is immortal. This famous quote perfectly sums up the core essence of Feng Kun's athletic career. Every time she was injured, hit hard and questioned, she was able to quickly turn the crisis into an opportunity, dare to face it, and was not afraid of difficulties.
Lang Ping once predicted that "whoever wins Feng Kun will win the world". Today, more than 20 years later, this is not only a high evaluation of her personal ability, but also reflects Feng Kun's tenacious will to never admit defeat and be determined to break through.
There is no smooth sailing on the road of life. For Feng Kun, it's more about ups and downs. From being selected for the national team for the first time at the age of 18 to finally hanging up her sneakers at the age of 34, she has experienced many bitter fruits and has also experienced growth.
The insistence on volleyball in her heart supported her to cross the trough and return to the top.
Now that she is far away, she is no longer the focus of attention back then. The unfamiliar environment and ordinary life did not wear out Feng Kun's inner fighting spirit. She continues to work in new areas, passing on her experience and passion.
As long as there is volleyball in her heart, she will always be active, and she will always be that 18-year-old girl.
When people look back on Feng Kun's sports career, they see not only trophies and glory, but also her tenacious and hard-working spirit. As with every extraordinary life story, the most touching part lies in the inner light and heat.
Feng Kun used his own practice to write the standard of what is a big athlete.