Team TAI Tzu Ying

Coach LAI – Head Coach

“…all we can do is be better than before.”

Coach LAI in conversation with BWF TV

The badminton Gods were smiling on the day LAI Chien Cheng was assigned to work at TTY’s high school for his Substitute Military Service.  Over the years this chance meeting sparked a collaboration that has been a blessing for both. LAI had a good badminton background but made the decision to finish his sporting career when he was 21 preferring instead to put his energy into his post grad studies.  After connecting through her school badminton programme, at first, he was TTY’s sparring partner but his importance to her meant that his contribution expanded and in Feb 2015 he became her official coach.  By the end of 2016 she was world #1

LAI’s strength is that he understands what style to use to inspire TAI.  He is in a position of respect but he is on TTYs wavelength, so his emotional literacy enables him to get the most from his player.  She has commented in the past that other coaches have attempted to change her style but she ‘can’t’ play like that.  He recognises that there will be no reward in altering her game.

TTY’s impulsiveness and freedom to express badminton joy on court means that she uses shots that rivals can’t imagine.  LAI has said that he tries to focus on areas to improve and look for incremental gains.  At elite level small advances can make a huge difference and revitalise a player’s armoury.  LAI remarked recently that his biggest challenge has been to innovate in training – he was reluctant to copy other people’s methods because it would lead to stagnation. I have heard a similar observation from Fernando Rivas when he has spoken about his work with Carolina Marin. Both men understand that to achieve the extraordinary they have to be pioneers.

Crucially LAI says that he will often find more than one solution to a problem.  He has a genuine relationship with TTY that has a foundation in trust and honesty so the communication between them allows a focus on the process of training and this builds a winning attitude.

It was no big surprise in February 2019 to hear that LAI had been asked to become the head coach for the Taiwan badminton team for the Olympics – he was widely regarded as one of the brightest young coaches in the world at that point.  In the following six months TTY’s titles dried up.  He resigned from his role in October 2019 so that he could concentrate his attention back to her.

However, the relationship did not resume exactly as before.  The support team had been reinforced in Jan 2019 and this meant there were three more people to help fuel the search for excellence:

WAN Chia Hsin – Coach

We often see Coach WAN talking to TTY and holding the ice pack to her neck in the intervals in matches.  He competed internationally for Taiwan up to 2014 and now works in her team.  His responsiblity is to implement Coach Lai’s plans.  This is a vital part of the framework around TAI Tzu Ying.  He will provide precise assessments on areas for attention, and feedback to LAI to influence strategies. A second coach means that ideas and tactics can be analysed from new viewpoints.

Wang Shih-Ting – Physiotherapist

A large part of WANG’s role is to address aches and pains; I doubt that any elite athlete can avoid these niggles so the challenge is to manage discomfort effectively.  Like TTY’s physical trainer – FAN Zan-Yu – she is a graduate of Kaohsiung Medical University.  Her responsibility covers post-practice and post-match recovery.  Physios tend to use manual therapies like massage to manipulate the body.  This helps blood flow and relieves stiffness and we often see photos of this on Instagram as TAI Tzu Ying lies on a treatment table.  She will note injury patterns, plan rest and use this information to help fine tune training routines.

FAN Zan-Yu

FAN has been a great all-round athlete across many disciplines from swimming to frisbee but she’s mainly known as a basketball player.  Her duties are centred around maintaining fitness and running the pre-match warm up.  She works closely with the physio and ultimately her contribution will give TTY confidence that she has the stamina and agility to beat her rivals.  I think that there is an intriguing synergy between basketball and badminton.  Both need explosive power, high speed directional changes and 3D vision and both make huge demands on an athlete’s body.

Her Family

TTY has a loving and supportive family who are united in support of her.  When they were children, her parents took her and her sister along when they played badminton.  As she got older her father used to enter her in ‘open’ tournaments when she would compete against seniors – and lose!  She now credits this as a formative experience, one that taught her to accept defeat.  Her father is responsible for the idiosyncratic stringing pattern we see on her racket.  It’s revealing that she was treated with understanding by them when she wanted to give up training so she could have fun with her friends but they also supported her when she restarted. Her happy relationship with her Grandma is famous on Instagram. 

And PS…

Some fans have suggested that I add a little more about TTY’s father here. As well as being a caring and supportive dad he was pivotal in picking Coach LAI as a sparring partner in the first place so it was his shrewd judgement that initiated this fruitful alliance. Throughout her career he has been her manager; overseeing arrangements and ensuring she continues her journey in badminton in the best way possible.

Coach Lai and the team have worked in partnership to inspire and motivate her but they are only part of the story. She is adored by fans and has often commentated that she wants to win for them. Win or lose they offer unconditional support. It’s fascinating to consider how many people have walked along the path to excellence with TAI Tzu Ying.

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If you enjoyed this take a look at another article of mine about The Queen https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

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I’d like to thank everyone who helped with information for this piece including DeeTree (@tty4ever and taitzuyingfans.wordpress.com), Shodo0702 (@Sandrali13), eeye24 (@eeye24), Jenny Day, TTY’s Facebook admin and of course BWF TV.

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Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved