With the approach of the Volleyball World Championship, the rebuilding of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team and the appointment of a new head coach are inevitable. To provide more options for this rebuilding process, the Chinese Volleyball Association previously held a training camp for reserve talents, inviting coaches like Yuan Lingxi and Kuang Qi to lead the training.
As preparations for the new season of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team begin, the selection of the team captain has attracted much attention from fans. It is well-known that the previous captain was Yuan Xinyue. However, when Zhu Ting returned, many fans hoped she would reassume the role of captain, but the Volleyball Association ultimately did not change the captaincy.
In the new cycle, it is likely that the captain of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team will change. Why? The current captain, Yuan Xinyue, started her overseas career this season, performing well in the Turkish league. Next season, Yuan Xinyue is likely to continue playing abroad. Since she cannot stay in the country for extended periods and might miss training camps, she will have to step down as captain and pass on the responsibility to someone else. Naturally, under similar circumstances, Zhu Ting, who is also playing abroad, would not be suitable for the role either.
What requirements must the new captain of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team meet in this new cycle? First, they need strong organizational and communication skills. Second, their age should align with the 2028 Olympic cycle. Third, they should be playing for a domestic club, as the captain is responsible for many aspects of daily training.
Given these conditions, players like Diao Linyu (30 years old), Wang Mengjie (29 years old), and Zhang Changning no longer meet the criteria, leaving only three suitable candidates. The first is Gong Xiangyu, a 27-year-old who is currently the top domestic spiker. As an experienced player, Gong Xiangyu could still be part of the team four years later at 31, but her biggest issue now is injuries.
The second candidate is Wang Yuanyuan, a 27-year-old who grew rapidly in the last cycle. Her main challenge is her introverted personality compared to players like Zhang Changning, which is her biggest shortcoming. The third and most popular candidate is Li Yingying, born after 2000. Li Yingying is cheerful and currently the strongest player on the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team. Most importantly, she is likely to be the core of the team four years from now. Having already taken on the role of captain for Tianjin Volleyball Team this season, Li Yingying is highly likely to become the new captain of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team.