In the world of Chinese sports, the name of a legendary figure is remembered by countless people - he is Chen Zhonghe, the former head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team, a man who has created countless brilliance on the volleyball court.
However, when he stepped down from his coaching duties and returned to ordinary family life, he faced a whole new challenge, this time, the venue was his own home, and his opponents were his children.
1. Life Transition: From Losing to Finding Love Again
Chen Zhonghe, a well-known coach in the volleyball world, experienced a major change in his life - the death of his ex-wife.
During these difficult days, Li Donghong, a former member of the Fujian women's volleyball team, came into his life.
They met out of a shared love of volleyball, but soon, the connection went beyond sports and evolved into a support in life.
The first time Li Donghong stepped into Chen Zhonghe's house, it was a sunny weekend morning.
Chen Zhonghe was busy sorting out his daughter's textbooks and toys, and the house was a little messy.
Li Donghong didn't say much, she lightly began to tidy up the house, put the scattered toys back in place, and arranged the books neatly according to their size. Looking at this scene, Chen Zhonghe's brows stretched slightly.
Weekends like this have become their daily routine.
Li Donghong would bring fresh fruit and sometimes prepare a simple lunch, bringing warmth to this small home.
When Chen Zhonghe was busy with training and competitions, Li Donghong naturally took on the burden of taking care of his family.
She would place a cup of freshly brewed hot tea on Chen Zhonghe's desk, or leave a plate of hot dinner on the day he came home late.
Although Li Donghong's appearance brought many changes to Chen Zhonghe's life, she never tried to intervene in his life abruptly.
She is always silently on the sidelines, without expecting anything in return.
And Chen Zhonghe gradually got used to Li Donghong's existence, and he began to look forward to her arrival every weekend, looking forward to the feeling of being cared for.
In these daily interactions, the relationship between Li Donghong and Chen Zhonghe has quietly changed.
On the weekend, when Li Donghong came to Chen Zhonghe's home again, she brought a bouquet of flowers and some fresh vegetables.
Chen Zhonghe looked at the vegetables and smiled and proposed to make lunch together.
Li Donghong nodded in agreement, and the two got busy in the kitchen together. Chen Zhonghe was in charge of washing vegetables, while Li Donghong was skillfully cutting vegetables on the side. Their movements are tacit, occasionally exchanging smiles in their eyes.
After lunch was ready, they sat down at the table and enjoyed a simple but warm meal.
After the meal, Chen Zhonghe took the initiative to clean the dishes and chopsticks, while Li Donghong began to tidy up the house. The afternoon sun shines through the window, and the atmosphere of home becomes more warm.
2. New Family Life: Challenges and Acceptance
New Year's Day in 1995 was a new beginning for Chen Zhonghe and Li Donghong.
They entered the palace of marriage with the blessings of relatives and friends, but the road to this new marriage was not smooth.
Chen Zhonghe's daughter, seven-year-old Chen Long, especially felt the impact of change.
One day, Li Donghong brought a well-wrapped gift and handed it to the little Chen Long.
She smiled and said, "Longlong, this is a little gift for you, I hope you will like it." ”
But Chen Long didn't accept the gift, her eyes flashed with complicated emotions.
She angrily threw the gift on the floor, knocked over the surrounding water bottles, and shouted, "I don't want your gift, I don't need it!" and ran into the room, slamming the door shut.
Li Donghong stood there, still holding the unaccepted gift in his hand, with a sad face.
Chen Zhonghe walked over and whispered to her: "Donghong, don't take it too seriously, she is still young and needs time." ”
Li Donghong nodded, but her eyes were full of determination.
Faced with such a situation, Li Donghong did not give up, she tried more to understand Chen Long and understand the world of a child.
She would sit quietly outside Chen Long's room and whisper interesting stories or trivia about volleyball.
Once, Chen Long had a serious illness.
In the dead of night, Chen Zhonghe was unable to be with his daughter because of intense training and competition arrangements.
Li Donghong heard Chen Long's cough and immediately walked into her room. She saw that Chen Long's face was flushed with burning, and immediately decided to send her to the hospital.
In the hospital, Li Donghong has been staying by the bedside. She gently wiped the sweat from Chen Long's forehead and carefully adjusted the quilt to ensure that she could rest comfortably.
Throughout the night, she didn't close her eyes, just sat there quietly, looking at Chen Long with concern.
The next morning, when Chen Long opened his eyes in a daze, the first thing he saw was Li Donghong's concerned and tired face.
Li Donghong said to her gently: "Longlong, how do you feel, do you want to drink some water?" Chen Long hesitated for a moment, and then whispered, "Thank you, Aunt Li." ”
This moment seemed to be a turning point in their relationship.
Although Chen Long still needs time to fully accept the fact that Li Donghong is her new mother, she is beginning to have a new understanding of Li Donghong's concern.
Gradually, the small family began to show a harmonious atmosphere.
3. Brilliant career: led the Chinese women's volleyball team to win the championship
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Chen Zhonghe, as the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team, faced the eyes and expectations of the world.
The women's volleyball players that year were young and energetic, and they went through countless training and tempering under the guidance of Chen Zhonghe. Every link of the game, every action, is particularly important.
During the Olympic Games, the performance of the Chinese women's volleyball team became better and better. They came out strong in the group stage and progressed to the knockout rounds. With the deepening of the game, the tacit understanding and skills of the players have been fully demonstrated.
Chen Zhonghe was guiding from the sidelines, his eyes were firm, his gestures were clear, and he was able to accurately point out problems and give solutions at every timeout.
Finally, the Chinese women's volleyball team ushered in the final with the Russian team.
It was a tense and intense match, with the crowd cheering and cheering one after another.
After the start of the game, the two teams went back and forth, and the scores were tightly bitten. Chen Zhonghe kept an eye on the court, giving instructions to the players from time to time.
In the crucial point, the Chinese team showed extraordinary teamwork and tenacious fighting spirit.
When the last ball was skillfully hit into the opponent's court by the Chinese players, the audience erupted in thunderous applause. The Chinese women's volleyball team won the game, and this moment seemed to stand still.
The team members cheered and hugged each other, while Chen Zhonghe smiled on the sidelines, his eyes full of pride and satisfaction.
With the arrival of this victory, the Chinese women's volleyball team once again stood at the pinnacle of world volleyball. As a core coach, Chen Zhonghe's coaching ability has been recognized and praised all over the world.
This victory is not only an affirmation of Chen Zhong's personal coaching ability, but also another proof of the brilliant achievements in the history of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
When asked at the post-match press conference how he felt about the victory, he said lightly: "This is the result of the team's hard work and the joint efforts of our team.
We went through a lot of challenges, but in the end we proved ourselves. These simple and unpretentious words reflect his humility as a coach and respect for his players.
After the game, the whole of China boiled over for this victory. TV news, newspaper headlines, and even the streets and alleys are full of discussions and celebrations about the Chinese women's volleyball team's gold medal.
Across the country, people waved national flags and cheered the names of the team members, proud of this great achievement.
4. Retirement life: the warmth and compensation of the family
In 2009, as Chen Zhonghe's career as the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team came to an end, his life entered a new stage. He began to devote more energy and time to his family, gradually making up for the neglect of family life due to professional reasons.
Chen Zhonghe began to try to do some household chores, such as cooking and cleaning. On his first attempt at cooking, there was a burning smell in the kitchen.
Li Donghong walked into the kitchen and couldn't help but smile when he saw Chen Zhonghe's hurried appearance. She walked over and gently took the spoon and taught him how to adjust the heat. Chen Zhonghe listened intently, nodding his head from time to time in understanding.
The busy backs of the two in the kitchen reveal a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
Sometimes, Chen Zhonghe would take Chen Long to her school's parent-teacher conferences.
He listened carefully to the teacher's explanation and learned about his daughter's performance in school.
After school, he would go home with his daughter, chatting about school, stories among friends, and even the occasional volleyball conversation. Chen Long gradually got used to her father's participation, and her smile was a little more proud and gratified.
In the evenings, Chen Zhonghe sometimes invites former team members to gather at his home.
They sit around the living room, sharing their lives and reminiscing about past games.
Laughter and cheers filled the room, and the team members, who once fought side by side, now became important friends in each other's lives.
In this family, the relationship between Chen Zhonghe and Li Donghong has also become deeper.
After dinner, they would sit on the balcony and chat about home cooking while sipping tea.
Chen Zhonghe will tell interesting stories about his past on the volleyball court, while Li Donghong will share what she has seen and heard in her daily life. The conversation between the two is full of lightness and pleasure.
5. Retirement: Still focus on volleyball
After retiring, Chen Zhonghe left the formal coaching job of the volleyball court, but his love for volleyball is still undiminished.
He is often invited to participate in some volleyball lectures and training activities, sharing his rich coaching experience and insights on volleyball.
On these occasions, Chen is always willing to contribute his knowledge to help young coaches and athletes improve their skills.
Sometimes, Chen Zhonghe also goes to the volleyball training ground to watch the young players train and provide some advice and encouragement.
On the sidelines, he always pinpoints the shortcomings of his players in training and shares tips on how to perform at their best in the game. His presence always brings confidence and motivation to young athletes.
Chen Zhonghe's later life was quiet and fulfilling. He enjoys sipping tea in the small garden of his home and quietly enjoying the tranquility of retirement.
His tea ceremony skills have also become more and more sophisticated, and he often invites some old friends to his home to enjoy tea while reminiscing about the old days.
In 2017, Chen Zhonghe ushered in his 60th birthday.
On this day, his former team members came to Xiamen from all over the country to celebrate this special day for him.
At the celebration, the players shared many memories of working with Chen Zhonghe, and their words were full of admiration and gratitude for Chen Zhonghe as a coach.
The venue of the celebration was decorated with photos and trophies from Chen Zhonghe's coaching career, documenting his brilliant achievements in volleyball.
That evening, Chen Zhonghe delivered a brief speech at the celebration meeting. He thanked all the guests for coming, as well as his family for their support and understanding.
He talks about his love for volleyball and how he passes it on to everyone in the team. Chen Zhonghe's words were calm and sincere, winning the applause of everyone present.
In his later years, Chen Zhonghe lived a peaceful and fulfilling life, not only enjoying the quality time with his family, but also maintaining his passion and interest in the sport of volleyball.
His life proves that even after retirement away from the ring, one can continue to pursue one's passions in different ways and share that joy with those around them.
Gao Yu.Legendary coach Chen Zhonghe[J].China Sports Coach,2005,13(1):10-12