SALT LAKE CITY — About 15 coaches filed onto the mezzanine-like balcony overlooking a basketball practice court.
盐湖城——大约15名教练一个接一个地走到这个像包厢似的,能俯瞰一个篮球训练场的阳台上。
They wore warm-up apparel and sneakers.
他们穿着热身服装和运动鞋。
As the Utes men’s team began its practice, some took notes in small Moleskine notebooks; others consulted printouts of set plays.
随着犹特人(Utes)男篮队开始训练,一些人在小巧的Moleskine笔记本上做起了笔记,其他人则在查看打印出来的固定战术。
It was late September, so several assistant coaches were on the road recruiting, and the practice itself was focused on getting players into shape and integrating new faces as opposed to game-planning any opponents.
正值9月末,因此多名助理教练正在各地招兵买马,训练本身的重点是让球员进入状态,并让新成员融入球队,而不是制定针对任何对手的对策。
But it was still a big-time college basketball practice, so at times, it got intense.
但这依然是一场一流的大学篮球训练,因此有时候会变得很激烈。
Utah Coach Larry Krystkowiak stopped one drill and, in a not-angry-just-disappointed tone, told his team, You guys are just full of it today; everybody’s got something to say.
犹他大学的教练拉里•克里斯特科维亚克(Larry Krystkowiak)叫停了一次练习,用不是生气仅仅是失望的语气对球队说,你们这些家伙今天废话太多了;每个人都想发表点意见。
The observing coaches did not know exactly what Krystkowiak said, but they understood the coach’s frustration and determination.
在一旁观察的教练们不知道克里斯特科维亚克具体说了什么,但他们明白他的失望和决心。
And they took note.
他们做了笔记。
They were among the best junior high and high school basketball coaches in China, brought to Utah’s gorgeous campus in a partnership between their government and the Pacific-12 Conference and the University of Utah.
他们属于中国最好的初高中篮球教练。因为中国政府与太平洋十二校联盟(Pacific-12 Conference)和犹他大学(University of Utah)的伙伴关系,他们来到了犹他大学美丽的校园。
This is no longer Ping-Pong diplomacy.
这不再是乒乓外交。
The coaches — they are very passionate when they train their players, said Sun Fengleng, who coaches in Jilin, a province in China’s northeast.
那些教练,他们在训练球员时非常有激情,在中国东北省份吉林当教练的孙峰棱(音)说。
He is really good with the players, trains them well.
他真的很擅长和球员相处,把他们训练得很好。
Sun added, I want to learn the attitude and bring it back.
孙峰棱接着说,我想学习这种态度,并把它带回去。
Krystkowiak, a onetime N.B.A. power forward who has led the Utes to the N.C.A.A. tournament the past two seasons, seemed to endorse Sun’s takeaway.
过去两个赛季,曾是NBA大前锋的克里斯特科维亚克带领犹特人队冲进美国全国大学生体育协会(NCAA)联赛。他似乎认可孙峰棱的理解。
If they want to improve at basketball, he said, it’s not always the place to be polite.
如果他们想提升篮球水平,他说,不能总是在场上温文尔雅。
The Chinese government hopes many more coaches will learn that lesson.
中国政府希望能有更多的教练学习到这样的经验。
Nearly 100 Chinese junior high and high school coaches in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, swimming and cheerleading were sent to Utah, and roughly the same number of Chinese college coaches went to Arizona State, which is also in the Pac-12.
近100名中国初高中男子和女子篮球、田径、游泳和拉拉队教练被送到犹他大学,和被送去亚利桑那州立大学(Arizona State University)的中国高校教练人数大致相当。该校也是太平洋十二校联盟的成员。
The coaches observed practices and weight-room sessions. They got some time on the court themselves with Utah coaches.
这些教练会观察球场训练和健身房环节,还有机会亲自和犹他大学的教练一起上场。
They participated in talks on injury rehabilitation and conducted film-room sessions.
他们参加损伤康复讲座,并举行了比赛录像室环节,
They even got to see the final bit of this year’s football game against Brigham Young, known locally as the Holy War.
甚至还观看了今年对阵杨百翰大学(Brigham Young University)的橄榄球决赛。这场比赛在当地被称作圣战。
Indeed, it is partly America’s fairly unusual model of competitive athletics enshrined in educational institutions that the coaches have come to study, said Kyle Brennan, Utah’s deputy athletic director.
犹他大学的副体育主管凯尔•布伦南(Kyle Brennan)说,在一定程度上,这些教练来学习的是美国非常与众不同的竞技体育模式,这种模式在美国的教育机构中得到了保护。
Coaches are coaches, he said with a chuckle.
教练就是教练,他轻轻地笑着说。
Giving them a compliance class, they want to push the boundaries.
给他们上一节合规课,他们就想挑战限制。
‘Why can’t I recruit a kid from another school?’ Well, these are the rules we’ve got.
‘我为什么不能去另一所学校招人?’好吧,这些都是我们要遵守的规则。
The program is financed by the Chinese Scholarship Council and organized by Federation University Sports China — a sort of state-sponsored Chinese N.C.A.A. that saw the coaches’ trips as much more than relaxed junkets.
该项目由中国国家留学基金管理委员会出资,中国大学生体育协会组织。后者类似于中国的NCAA,由政府资助。该机构认为这些教练的美国之旅远远不只是轻松的公费旅游。