Yang Deng, the head coach of women’s volleyball at Stetson University, sits down with us in this episode of the 35,000 feet podcast providing a glimpse of the past season for her team, some of her most memorable travel experiences, some words of wisdom to athletes, and her next plan of action.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How this past season went for Stetson University Volleyball team (0:20)

• How Coach Deng got into coaching (4:32)

• Yang’s favorite travel experience (8:30)

• One thing that no one knows about Yang (11:15)

• Yang’s advice to athletes wanting to play in college (13:07)

• Yang’s next adventure (16:51)

An Insight to the Previous Season for Coach Yang Deng and Her Team

Morgan: Hi guys. Welcome back, it's Morgan. Today, I'm sitting down with Coach Yang. Thanks so much for joining us.

Yang: Thank you. I'm glad to be here.

Morgan: Yes, and we're so excited to have you and just get an insight into you and your team. Again, thanks so much for joining us. One of the questions that I wanted to start out by asking you is if you could tell us about the highs and lows of your season?

Yang: We had a pretty good season in 2019 and overall record doesn't look as good as 2018, but in conference we played nine fives, so we have our first winning season since 2002. And we had it a little rough at the beginning of the season for pre season because of all the hurricanes and everything. With everything planned what we plan to do and played the fewer games for pre season than what we wanted, but we have a good strike at the middle of the season when we started playing our conference again.

So it was good learning lesson for us too.

Morgan: That's amazing and I think, every season has its different highs and lows. So I think that's awesome for your team.

Yang: Yes, we focused a lot on the process, not on end the result. That's one thing since I got here, I tried to teach our girls my goal. I keep talking to them, obviously, changing your style, play at the culture, having new coach come in, always a little bit tough, but I think what my goal is try to teach the girls, learning life lessons through volleyball. So we are a lot focused on processing goal and not really about the result. What I keep talking to the girls about is that when we play sports and coach sports, we don't have to worry about a result because everybody wants to win.

Nobody wants to lose by coaching or play sports, but what it takes to get there is more important. So a lot of time we focus on those processing goals instead of the results.

Morgan: No, and that's true. I think it's, it's the process that matters the most because I think there's a lot of hard work that goes into it and sports only lasts so long. So I think a lot more of it is the process, you know?

Yang: Yes. And then, I wanted to create an environment that we enjoy the experience. It doesn't matter we're winning or losing. We want to have good experience no matter what, because for me, by playing and coaching for quite a while now, so I feel like the awards winning the national championship title, all those important, but at the same time, what really carries a person, to carry you for your life is the memory. So experience how you have funny trips with someone or you had a terrible play, but the result was good and that each other enjoyed our time together. For my team I think it's more important because like when you move, you'll have a box of awards sitting in the garage never touched them. But your memory carries them, you know what I mean? So that's very important to us, for our team.

Morgan: Yes, And thank you. I love hearing the highs and lows because they're always rewarding to listen to. I love hearing the hard work that goes into the seasons. I think that's awesome. You guys are working so hard.

Yang: Yeah. My first year we only win three games in 2017. That was really probably tough. I don't even feel that tough for me, but it sounds like really tough for the girls because they are hoping to have a new coach coming in and hope we can turn around a lot faster that people expecting. And then when we look back, it's important to know that we did not really feel, we didn't have that great experience by have the record on paper, but we had a great experience working together and saw each other improving so much. That helps us have the second season, 15-16-13, in the largest winning improvement in NCAA. So that just kind of reinforced for our girls to understand the goal is there. That's what you want, but you have to focus on what you can do, first. So, good experience.

Yang Deng’s Start As A Coach

Morgan: Wow. Yes, I love that. And I love that you talk about the process too. And so I'm curious, how did you get to be a coach?

Yang: So I was not wanting to be a coach. I played for so many years and especially my experiences when I finished playing. I played hard in China and all the way up to the Chinese national team. But participated all the games, but only big. There was 1996 Olympic like six months before my back hurts, and I wanted to be on the national team for a year, but my disc was having problems. So I cannot make it to the Olympics. I went back to my team, but it seems like my back was not getting better. And I was thinking I can have passion to my volleyball, but at the same time, I cannot play volleyball for the rest of my life if my health condition doesn't allow me to do. So, I was thinking, I need to finish my college degree. So I went to Beihang University, which is Beijing and tried to finish my degree.

And then one day, you know back in the day there's no cell phones, I went to my dorm and each floor have a land phone and somebody will call your name and say, "Hey, Yang, that's your number! Somebody is calling you" and I say okay, "From USA" I was like, what? Well I have no English and, I don't know no one in USA. So, that was my friend from our junior national team, we played Asia championships together and she was in college. She was calling, "Hey, I find out from my father", which her father is former coach as well, saying "I'm over the national team so we have scholarship, do you want to finish degree in USA and play for college?" Well, my back was injured. So I was like, how hard it is? And she was like "It's different level", so I was like I think I can handle that. So I took a big jump actually, looking back was a pretty scary jump without any English thinking that I can finish college degree.

So when I came over, we won two national championships in a row and then head coach took a position over at the university of Missouri and just ask me, I only had the two seasons and they asked me to see if I would be interested as assistant coach. So, for a foreigner, that doesn't really have that good English skill, finding a job but I would say, it's going to be tough. Even though I was trying to study international business, nothing to do with the volleyball. And I thought, I guess I know how to play volleyball so how to coach might be easier and without language I could at least show them what to do, you know what I mean? That's what I was thinking. So luckily I started my coaching career there. And after I started coaching I find out it was very fulfilling, that you watch others improving so much and pictured someone that could be that good and they became that good and you are a part of their life. It's very fulfilling. So I find out I can coach and I like coach. So that's how I started.

Morgan: Okay. No, that's amazing. And I feel like, everyone has a different story to how they got to be a coach, but I think it just shows that you really are supposed to be a coach. Your path just ended up that way. And I'm glad that you followed that.

Yang: It's funny actually, when I was very young, maybe only 18, 19 year old my former coach was telling me one day like, "Hey, you could be pretty good coach." I was like, what? No way? So I guess he saw that it's coming, I guess.

Morgan: He saw that and it ended up happening. So I think that's amazing.

Yang: Yeah, yeah!

Coach Yang Deng’s Key Travel Experience

Morgan: No, that is amazing. This next question I have for you, it has to do with travel, but what's one of your most memorable travel experiences that you've had?

Yang: Well, the team when I came to USA, especially my first year, we had a lot of rough times, especially first year pre season. I've never experienced any hurricane before and the first pre season we are supposed to go to Houston, but Houston hit by Harvey. And then the following weekend, they were supposed to go to Houston to play. And Houston said that everything's on, their still good to go. So the time we were taking off, going to Houston from online to airport and the flight attendants telling me there's no flight coming back because Irma was going to hit.

Morgan: Oh my, scary.

Yang: Yes. So we have to end up bussing home. But our following weekend is going to FAU, I think. And in 10 days from when we took off to coming back we scheduled a bus instead of fly back cause we need to slowly coming back towards Florida. We drove in two to three different days to try to come back and we stayed in five different hotels. Finally, get to FAU play and then come back to Stetson.

Morgan: Oh wow.

Yang: Because Harvey hit Houston not every hotel is open too. So basically every day me and my assistant the job is try to find a hotel to hope, can host all of us together. So finding five hotels in 10 days and on the way, basically doing things last minute with the entire group, it was a little bit stressful, but we survived. So that was pretty tough one.

Morgan: Wow. Yeah. No, that sounds tough. But I love with all travel it just creates those memories, those experiences that you get. And so I'm glad for the things you learned on your trip too.

Yang: Yeah. They're like, okay, we're bonding for sure cause our first season we need bonding time, I think we are bonding for sure. So we had the little time where I actually went to play top golf with the entire group walking around downtown in Houston. So it kind of had a good time at the least.

Morgan: Yeah. Hey, look at that. You had a good time and you got to learn things and you know, that's a unique story you get to share with people. So I think that's amazing.

Yang: Yeah. We were lucky to able to find hotels.

Morgan: Oh yeah. Yeah. I'm glad you were able to, and that everything was safe. Cause that's, that's a crazy experience.

Yang: Yes, it is.

A Little Known Fact About Coach Yang Deng

Morgan: Yeah. Well this next question that I have for you, what is one thing that no one knows about you that you could share with us?

Yang: Actually, this is going to be a funny one because I think I'm pretty shy. Actually, when I was growing up my mom put me in an elementary school, like sports team for high jumps, cause I was very shy, I was very weak, very thin. And I don't like interviews actually.

I do everything possible I can to not doing it because one, is I still a little bit hesitated about it, doesn't matter how it's been 20 years, I mean, years of learning English, I'm still a little nervous about that. And at the same time, it's not like I do not like to talk to people, I just feel a little more comfortable talking to people who I know. It's a little bit challenging and you know, since I started coaching, but I think this job also forced me to go outgoing a little bit more. So my mom often she stays with me right now. So she often say, "wow, look at you! So much more outgoing." She used to make fun of me, like kicking me in my butt for 10 times only one word out of me you know?

Morgan: Yes. Oh my goodness. Well, I wouldn't even be able to tell like at all, you're so easy to talk to and no, I would not be able to tell at all that you were shy and that you didn't like these.

Yang: That's what I tell my players often, "fake it until you make it!" So I'm faking it well I guess.

Morgan: Yes, you are. No seriously, but thank you, despite these not being your favorites, thank you for joining us and letting us get a glimpse into your story.

Yang: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.

Coach Yang Deng’s Words of Wisdom to Athletes

Morgan: Yes, thank you and I guess one of my last questions for you is if you're an athlete wanting to play for a team or a university, what would your advice be to them?

Yang: I think that it's very important that you find your passion for volleyball and you know that's something you really enjoy doing. And also at the same time you know how much hard work it comes with. And also important to think about is volleyball won't be rest of your life. So you want to make sure you academically will help you to graduate and help you to make sure that's actually is the ultimate priority for you. And I think I often tell my players that you play volleyball not because you only love volleyball because you are learning life through playing volleyball. There's so many things you learn by playing the sports. And also it doesn't matter which level you play, as long as you're passionate about the volleyball. There's so many levels where you can go enjoy finding the right people to be around, very important to me as my Chinese background is, there's three things are very important for people's success.

It's timing, location, and the people. I think timing is something you can't have control because when times are right, things will happen sometimes. Location you can somewhat control it because you can have some choices. Sometimes you don't, people is probably the only thing you have in control in order to be successful. I feel like because we all needed to working with the people, especially sports or work or at home, you got to make sure you find the right people that fits what you need and that you're happy with. And especially for your value. I often, talking to players when they go recruiting trips and visits. I say you always can look at the facilities, everything, the fancy stuff, looks cool. But ultimate important thing is you were looking at the people, coaches are they fit your personality, fit your style, looking at a player they're recruiting.

If I get a chance to talk to players, got to find a more about the coaches, because those are the people that are going to make a difference. You can put for an example is like, you can have a fancy mansion house, looks so fancy, but you don't like being there with the people inside that doesn't consider a home. You want to making sure that you find a place not also about outside looking of course, to have a fancy house would be nice, but it's more important is for the people living inside, do they fit you value? Do you like to work with them? Are they the true people who you like to be around? Are they positive, encouraging, but at the same time pushing you? Those are most important things. I think that's something that as a recruit, you have to really take a strong consideration.

Morgan: Wow. That's great advice I think for anyone. I think that's going to be very helpful to student athletes that are wanting to play because they need to look for those things. So thank you for sharing that. I think anyone could use that because I think it's the people, the place, and the timing, those things that make a huge difference.

Yang: Yes. That's what we try to create here is having great experience here. So you have to find the right people. I joke that I have to like you enough to where you have to be like me enough. To be wanting to be on the team. Not for any other reasons.

Morgan: It's so true. Oh, thank you for sharing that. I'm excited to see where your team goes, especially with those values and goals that you guys have. I can tell that's going to take you guys far.

Yang: Thank you. I try to include my Chinese background, my culture to this unique culture hopefully from the best from Chinese culture and yours cultured combined them to help the student-athlete to be successful.

Coach Yang Deng’s Next Plan of Action

Morgan: Yeah. Well, no, that's so true. And that's amazing. That's amazing. So again, thank you for sharing that. And then I guess what's your next adventure?

Yang: My next adventure is how do we go through this pandemic?

Morgan: It's true.

Yang: Connecting with a team we try to, every year I look at it as a challenge because I, I keep it in mind myself, also my players, we don't compare what's happened in the past. We compare what we can do the best as of right now. So every year is, to me, it's a different challenge. Most of the coach will say every year a different challenge because you have different players, graduating, newcomers coming in, but at the same time we enjoy the crisis because the crisis, you know, come with opportunities. So I look at this our next adventure for our team is one of the best team we can put together with the quality people we have and then go from there. So I joke with my colleagues and also some other people before you know for me, it's like every season putting the team together is like putting a Chinese stir fry dishes together. Different ingredients, putting together it's my job to use best, vegetables and meat, and the spices that I put in every year, the dish will come out different, but I try to make the best delicious dish I can.

We'll see how that happens. You know, it's, it's an adventure, so we'll see, but I don't know what's my next adventure look like yet. We'll go have a happy and a great experience. That's our goal.

Morgan: Oh no, I think that's an amazing next adventure, especially cause I loved your analogy about using all the different things to make a wonderful, wonderful outcome. And I wish you and your team the best luck and thank you seriously for letting us get a glimpse into your team. And it was great talking to you today. So thank you for joining us on here so much.

Yang: Thank you for the opportunity and the best luck to you too.

Follow Stetson University Volleyball:

• Stetson University Volleyball Team Twitter

• Coach Yang Deng Twitter

Podcast made in partnership with Acanela Expeditions

Theme Song - I’ll Just Be Me by Gravity Castle