Chapter 236: Team Building
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After work, Dai Li waited in the office for another hour, but the eighth applicant never appeared.
Dai Li looked at the registration forms in his hand. Only seven athletes had signed up. Among them, he needed to select four participants and one substitute. Actually, he didn't have a lot of alternatives.
Dai Li turned on his computer and found the profiles of these athletes from the athlete database, including their results in previous meets and practices, which weren't satisfactory. Among them, three of the athletes were mid-level, the other four athletes were at the middle to low level.
The result is just as I expected. I heard that yesterday over ten athletes went to Weidong Chu to "petition" who said they would definitely not sign up for the relay team, and the rest of the athletes on the sprint team are quite mediocre.
However, Dai Li was not discouraged. This wouldn't be the first time he dealt with low level athletes. Dai Li believed he was capable of cultivating mediocre athletes into top-notch ones.
The materials saved on the computer couldn't give me a comprehensive description of the athletes. I should use the detector to check them personally, then I'll decide the lineup of the relay team. Maybe another surprise is awaiting me.
Dai Li remembered Sijie Yang and Haiquan Fang. As athletes with grade-A gifts, they had been found and cultivated by Dai Li.
Next morning, Dai Li gathered all seven athletes.
Again, Dai Li was not surprised by the detection results. No genius athletes like Sijie Yang or Haiquan Fang were found among the seven athletes. Their gifts were quite normal. Only one athlete was grade-C, and all the rest were C-. Some of the athletes were a bit old, so it was almost impossible to tap into their potential.
Technically speaking, these athletes also had a lot of defects. The training level of the provincial team was already lower than that of the national team, let alone the athletes' levels, which were middle grade or even middle-low on the provincial team. Their techniques were unsatisfactory; otherwise, their results would have been much better.
Dai Li had a feeling that he was being asked to choose a peacock from a bunch of chickens. Finally, he selected five athletes.
"Yihao Wu, grade-C gift, 18…" Dai Li listed the names of the athletes.
The young athlete with a grade-C gift, whose name was Yihao Wu, was naturally Dai Li's first choice. This year, he was only eighteen. Last year, he had been promoted from the youth team, so he was a newbie on the provincial track and field team.
The techniques of young athletes were inevitably clumsy. This year, he was still only eighteen, so his body hadn't yet fully developed and was no match for athletes who were around twenty five and in their peak states. As a newbie, his opportunities to participate in meets were already few and he would never have a chance to participate at this National Games. Therefore, he had to choose the relay race if he still hoped to take part in an event at the National Games.
Dai Li looked at the next athlete. Kenan Shen, thirty-years-old, he's even a few years older than me!
This athlete, Kenan Shen, was a standout during his peak. He had enjoyed his moment of glory by winning the second place in the National Championship when he was young, but an athlete's peak was very short, especially for sprinters. A thirty-year-old sprinter would be knocked down by illness and injuries without proper body care.
A sprinter at the age of thirty was definitely in the final phase of his sports career. Now, Kenan Shen's athletic level was much lower than his level during his youth. He seldom had the chance to take part in regular meets, let alone the National Games. The track and field team would rather give the opportunity to the younger athletes.
However, Kenan Shen still decided to sign up for the relay team, which meant he hadn't given up. The persistence of a thirty-year-old athlete sufficiently impressed Dai Li.
Kenan Shen reminded Dai Li of Aiguo Jiang, from the weight lifting team. Now, Aiguo Jiang had already retired and was working on the team as a coach. He was still working hard to earn the operation costs for his daughter.
Maybe for this reason, Dai Li decided to choose Kenan Shen, who was already an old athlete. However, old as he was, he had abundant experience. An experienced, older athlete could hold the team together in all kinds of team sports.
Dai Li looked at the next athlete. Jialiang Zhang, twenty five, he should be at his peak as a sprinter!
His name was Jialiang Zhang. His level, result and gift were all quite common. He was indeed, a mediocre athlete.
However, Dai Li was attracted by his one advantage, his stability. Although Jialiang Zhang was very common in all aspects, he was a pretty stable player; stability was crucial for the relay race. It meant a lower probability of errors. As long as an athlete was stable enough, it was acceptable that they were a little bit slow.
Dong Qian, twenty two. For the moment, his ability value is the highest among the five members of the relay team.
Among the five athletes, Dong Qian was the only one who might have had a chance to participate in individual events at the National Games. Of course, it was a "might have" chance. If Dong Qian chose to participate in an individual event, he would definitely have to face fierce selection and competition. He might have been knocked out. On the grounds of his current level, even if he managed to take part in the qualifying race, he was certainly not strong enough to get through the qualifying round. He might as well join the relay team, then at least he would have the chance to participate in the qualifying round of the National Games safely.
Besides Dong Qian having the highest ability value among the five players, Dai Li also chose him because his technical problems could be corrected easily. In other words, Dai Li could help Dong Qian see an obvious improvement in strength in a short time.
Wenqiang Wang, twenty seven, another old athlete! Dai Li looked at the last athlete.
This athlete was also mediocre. Dai Li had to choose Wenqiang Wang, for he really had no better choice, so Wenqiang Wang was simply admitted to fill the spot. He could only act as the substitute in the relay team. If nothing went wrong, he would have no chance to participate in the race.
...
In this way, the relay team was finally established. Dai Li started formal training the next day.
The first thing Dai Li needed to do was enhance the personal abilities of the athletes. The technical defects of these athletes were different, and had be corrected.
After he finished gradually rectifying the athletes' defects, Dai Li introduced the actual relay training.
One month passed in the blink of an eye. The qualification round of the National Games was getting closer. Inside the track and field team, an internal test meet was held.
This internal test meet was held mainly for individual events. The relay team that Dai Li was in charge of was not included in the meet.
The spots to participate at the National Games were limited; therefore, the athletes even had to compete for places at the qualification meet. The Hanbei Province Track and Field Team also wanted to fish out the best of the best through their internal test meet so that their best athletes could be sent to participate at the National Games.
...
Looking at the report posted on the bulletin board, Chao Zhang was sour-faced. He knew he had lost the opportunity to participate in the National Games.
Alas, years of efforts were in vain. Chao Zhang sighed and walked to the dormitory with heavy steps.
"Chao Zhang, what about your results?" He heard a voice behind him. Without turning around, he knew it was his roommate, Xinhua Zhao.
"What else could it be? I failed. I've lost my ticket to the National Games." Chao Zhang shook his head, then asked, "Xinhua Zhao, what about you?"
"Just like you, I also failed." Xinhua Zhao said.
"We're fellow sufferers! Let's work harder for the next National Games," Chao Zhang patted Xinhua Zhao's shoulder and said bitterly.
"That won't be necessary. We can still sign up for the relay team!" Xinhua Zhao said.
"Wasn't the registration for the relay team finished a month ago?" Chao Zhang asked.
"It was finished, but just look at those who signed up. Kenan Shen, he's already thirty, right? Another one is Yihao Wu, who's a newbie that just arrived. The relay team is made up old men and young kids who are no match for us. If we join the relay team, we'll be the best."
Xinhua Zhao continued to say, "Let's find that Dai Li and compliment him. Dai Li will definitely accept us, as we could strengthen the relay team. Although the relay isn't very attractive, it's still an indirect way for us to earn a ticket to participate in the National Games!"