Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded its Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award to Chinese volleyball legend Lang Ping, the honor was more than a personal career summit. 

It was a world-class recognition of the enduring "spirit of the Chinese women's national volleyball team" - a collective ethos that has shaped generations of athletes and left an imprint far beyond sports itself. 

Lang, who was nicknamed "Iron Hammer" for her powerful spikes, was part of the Chinese history-making women's volleyball team that won five consecutive world titles during the 1980s, and was the coach who later guided the national volleyball team back to Olympic glory in 2016. 

She was the first person in the sport to win the Olympic title as both an athlete and a coach.

She received the honor along with Cuban wrestling coach Raul de Jesus Trujillo Diaz from IOC on Monday. 

The honor was an acknowledgment of Lang's accomplishments both as an athlete and a coach. Through her exceptional coaching acumen and international perspective, she played a decisive role in guiding the Chinese women's volleyball team out of its downturns, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Her coaching experiences in the US and Italy also helped promote international exchanges and understanding within the volleyball community, Wang noted.

Lang led the US women's team to become runners-up at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. She also had stints with several Italian clubs earlier. 

"Coaching is not always glamorous: When things go well, the spotlight is on the team; when things go wrong, it's usually on the coach. But with all of you, every step has been worth it," Lang told the Xinhua News Agency after having received the award in Switzerland. 

She stepped down as head coach of the national team in September 2021 after the team failed to progress through the group stage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

The China Volleyball Association sent a congratulatory message to Lang via its social media account on Monday.

Lang served as the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team from 1995 to 1998 and again from 2013 to 2021. Under her leadership, the team won the titles at the 2015 World Cup, the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and the 2019 World Cup, making outstanding contributions to Chinese volleyball, reads the message. 

Her career is not just a chronicle of victories; it is a living textbook of what "spirit of the women's volleyball team" means in a new era.

For decades, discussions of this spirit have focused on qualities such as tenacity, teamwork, perseverance, and the refusal to give up. These values made the team an emblem of national pride during the 1980s and continue to resonate today. The team's influence on the Chinese nation has transcended the volleyball court, and their spirit has inspired people from every sector of society to continue their endeavors in their fields. 

Lang's coaching career has broadened the definition. She has injected the spirit with a modern vitality - one grounded in professionalism, scientific training, and an unmistakably global mind-set. 

From her tenure in the US to her two appointments during China's most challenging downturns, Lang brought with her advanced training concepts, data-driven preparations, modern rehabilitation systems, and a willingness to promote young talent. 

The true power of "spirit of the women's volleyball team" lies in its collective nature - its ability to rise above any single star, any single moment of triumph or frustration. This spirit is rooted in a sense of unity and shared purpose: "The motherland above all, teamwork above self." 

When expressing her gratitude to her former teammates, athletes and coaches across China, Italy and the US, Lang said, "This recognition belongs to all of them."

Sports commentator Wang also highlighted that significance of carrying forward "spirit of the women's volleyball team," saying as long as the spirit lives on, the team will stay steady through both triumphs and challenges.

Lang was also honored for making a profound impact off the court. Her players affectionately call her "Mom Lang," a nickname that reveals the heart behind the iron. On the court, she is rigorous, meticulous about details, and uncompromising about discipline. But off the court, she becomes a caregiver, a mentor, and an emotional anchor. She watches over injuries, notices mental fatigue, encourages personal growth, and protects her athletes with a kind of quiet, steady warmth. It is a testament to a coaching philosophy that sees athletes as whole people.

The IOC's award does more than honor a single coaching legend. It affirms the power of a sporting culture characterized by responsibility, resilience, and reinvention. Lang's story, and that of the Chinese women's volleyball team - reminds people that true greatness comes from the ability to rise against adversity.

In an age where the global sports landscape is increasingly shaped by professionalism, science, and international exchanges, "spirit of the women's volleyball team" represented by Lang and many Chinese athletes remains timeless. 

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn