Net Gains

Before Yang Deng ever stepped foot on a volleyball court in the United States, she was one of the brightest young stars in her homeland of China.

In elementary school, an early growth spurt helped Deng stand out, literally, from her classmates. As a fifth grader, her height and athletic ability led to an invitation to play on a local volleyball team in Changzhou, a city on the southern bank of the Yangtze River and in the highly developed Yangtze Delta region of China.

For Deng at the time, the volleyball court meant a welcome break from the long hours of rigorous studying that Chinese students were accustomed to in the classroom. And it didn't take long for coaches throughout the region to take notice.

In sixth grade, a sports-affiliated boarding school offered Deng an opportunity to play on a youth province team. If she chose to attend the government-run school, her tuition would be covered (unlike at public school), but she would have to move to the capital city of Nanjing and live on her own at age 13.

Deng made the leap.

"I remember my dad telling me, 'It is your choice, but if you want to do that, then you have to do it the best you can.' I liked playing volleyball, so I decided to go," she recounted.

Quickly, Deng climbed the ranks of the province team from youth and junior to the national level. From there, she was selected to play for the youth national team and then the Chinese junior national team.

Deng was only 19 years old and getting to travel around the globe — staying at five-star resorts and receiving police escorts along with extra security. Her memory: "It was pretty fun, actually."

In 1995, Deng's fast rise brought her to the highest level, an opportunity to train and compete with the Chinese National Team. At age 21, she was one of the youngest players on the squad.

"It was a great honor and a great experience to train and compete with the best players in the world," Deng said. "Jenny Lang Ping is still the national team coach, and she was my coach, too. I was very lucky to be on that team."

Then her journey took a turn. After one season with the national team, a back injury derailed Deng's playing career. So, she enrolled at a university in Beijing and began working on a college degree.

A return to the court, however, wasn't far behind. It just turned out to be far away.

During her first semester in Beijing, Deng got a call from an old friend, a junior national teammate who was playing for Columbia College in Missouri. A scholarship had become available if Deng was interested. Although Deng didn't speak any English, she again jumped at the opportunity.

And volleyball dominance once again followed. It wasn't Division I, but at 24, Deng was named NAIA National Player of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as a setter, and twice led Columbia College to national championships.

That success then prompted another unexpected move, into coaching.

When the coach at Columbia took the head job at the University of Missouri, she gave Deng the opportunity to join her staff. Deng, in typical style, didn't hesitate despite language remaining a challenge and without having completed her undergraduate work. She had never coached, either.

Deng spent her first three years at Missouri as a full-time coach and part-time student. Just as her players studied on flights to and from matches, she did the same. "Even at night at the hotel, we were studying at the same time," Deng recalled.

Also, Deng learned about herself. At first, she recalled watching her team play and fighting the urge to jump off the bench and go into the game herself to compete. Eventually, a deeper sense of purpose took over.

Deng had learned how to teach, with much of the instruction and inspiration occurring off the court.

"Teaching people what they are supposed to be doing is much more challenging than just doing it yourself. I got a much bigger sense of fulfillment when a player finally got it and understood how successful they could be," Deng explained. "I was recruiting players and helping develop them into All-Americans and national team players. Those things meant a lot. Coaching seemed like something I wanted to do.

"Age 18 to 21 is an important time, and as a coach you are so connected to the players. How you value things, how you judge things, how you think about what is important definitely has a direct effect on the players' experience and their growth."

Ultimately, in 2017, Stetson became the big winner. After 17 years as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, Deng decided it was time to pursue a volleyball program of her own. The Hatters, among others, came calling.

This fall, as Deng enters her second season looking to build her team into a contender in the ASUN Conference, her commitment to nurturing relationships and impacting young adults remains a core value, a true tipping point regardless of score.

"I know the bottom line is I have to have a good connection with my players," Deng concluded. "When I build a connection, then I can be honest with them, and it won't get their feelings hurt. It won't be that they think I don't love them or care about them. That's one of the biggest things for me as a coach. I make sure they know I care about them."

Print Friendly Version

Stetson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Tickets, donate, shop

Net Gains