{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeyondathletic.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2F13-373d84ed","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"#13 The Only Way To Make Yourself Happy with Ning \"Nikki\" ZHAO","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/ddd10a/ddd10a14-6ed8-415b-a536-5ba8019bbbef/30248e18-192c-440b-b22c-3ee48d6455a2/1418515466artwork.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"Ning Zhao doesn't mess around when it comes to strangers approaching her online but after a thorough background check on who I am (Ryan Jay Owens) with her former NCAA D1 coach, Chris POOLE, and a big thumbs up that I was not some crazy person she agreed to this interview with a lot of excitement!\r\n\r\nShe's been waiting a long time to tell someone her story to hopefully inspire other athletes to be goal oriented and not just think sports can offer them everything. Sometimes you must also drastically change your surroundings, like she did moving from China as an 18 year old to the USA, to play at a strong school so her education would be strong as well as volleyball.\r\n\r\nBio\r\n\r\nNing Zhao or \"NIkki\" as many refer to her was born Aug 20, 1976 in Beijing, China. \r\nShe started to play volleyball as a nine (9) year old (!!!!)...\r\n\r\nShe made the Chinese junior national team which was only 12 of the best young players in China (## Billion people Populate China!) before quickly deciding at 18 years old to not pursue the Olympics...\r\n\r\nShe decided to pursue making sure her future after volleyball would be happy, healthy and full of opportunity and accepted a full scholarship to study & play in the USA.\r\n\r\nShe started at Central Connecticut State university but quickly changed to Barton Community College for 2 years where she was a 2x All American. In her final 2 years of school at U of Arkansas -Fayetteville they were ranked 15th & 8th in the nation as a team.. making the Sweet 16 the 2nd Round of the NCAA tournament.\r\n\r\nShe was ranked the 9th best setter in NCAA D1 volleyball her senior year & is one of only 3 players to hold the record of 3000 assists. She was honored with SEC 1st Team & AVCA All American,\r\n\r\nNow she's \"a full time mommy\" of a 9yr old boy and 2year old daughter after benign off and on assistant coach for a few years after her collegiate volleyball career. She plans on possibly coaching in the future and/or assisting young Chinese players to get to USA schools to play sports.\r\n\r\nKey Discussion Points:\r\n\r\nWhat’s her story and how she got into sports?\r\nWho is she today after her volleyball career?\r\nWhat was her biggest failure?\r\nWhy was it important that she go to a school in the USA?\r\nWhat's her proudest moment?\r\nWhat are her future goals?\r\nWhat was the moment she decided to study in the USA?\r\nHow does she add value to people?\r\nWhat's her next goal?"}