▁the ▁J ang su ▁province ▁in ▁the ▁vol ley ball ▁completion ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁National ▁Games ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁while ▁studying ▁for ▁the ▁Nan j ing ▁Sport ▁Institute . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁national ▁vol ley ball ▁team . ▁ ▁Cultural ▁Revolution ▁hit ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁at ▁his ▁peak . ▁While ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁per sec uted ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁pe asant ▁background ▁was ▁considered ▁polit ically ▁reliable ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁his ▁team ▁members ▁were ▁sent ▁home . ▁Y uan ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁studying ▁vol ley ball ▁co aching , ▁without ▁a ▁team ▁to ▁coach . ▁Y uan ▁retired ▁as ▁a ▁player ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁from ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁national ▁team ▁captain . ▁ ▁Manager ial ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Y uan ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁women ' s ▁national ▁vol ley ball ▁team . ▁His ▁task ▁was ▁to ▁restore ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁pre - C ult ural ▁Revolution - level . ▁He ▁did ▁more ▁than ▁that , ▁transform ing ▁a ▁team ▁from ▁a ▁ 1 6 ▁place ▁finish ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁F IV B ▁Vol ley ball ▁Women ' s ▁World ▁Championship ▁to ▁a ▁super ▁power , ▁winning ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁world ▁championship ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁Olympic ▁gold ▁medal . ▁ ▁Y uan ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁Vol ley