Last April, Ding Junhui surprised the snooker world by winning the 2005
China Open barely two days after turning 18.
In the months after, a throng of Chinese families emerged from nowhere
coming to the fore in the media with announcements that they were going to
model on the Dings in bringing up their own children.
In other words, they were going to follow the steps of Junhui to the T,
not minding if they have to let their children drop out of school, among
other things, if that's what they have to do.
Earlier this morning, "Ding Junhui became only the second player in
snooker history to win three ranking titles before his 20th birthday, with
victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Northern Ireland Trophy final"
(worldsnooker.com).
Ding's latest victory provides the perfect cue for me to answer that
age-old question: "Can the Dings be emulated by another Chinese family?"
In light of Ding's latest victory, I'd like to offer a two-fold reply
to that one. First, can Ding's achievements be repeated? Second, can the
Dings' model of developing Junhui's talents be emulated by another Chinese
family?
The question to the first is an emphatic "yes", even though it may
sound ridiculous saying so.
The question to the second is a definite "no" - don't try it if you
have any healthy respect for Junhui and the Dings and if you know what's
good for your own children and your family.
First, Ding's own achievements provide proof that, though hard work and
single-minded dedication, anything is possible. Sure, something like what
Ding has just done won't come easy, and certainly won't come often. We're
talking about winning three ranking events (those that earn players points
to determine their year-end world rankings) before turning 20. After all,
only one other player had done it before. That player is 1998 world
championship winner John Higgins.
Higgins, though, is a Scot from Great Britain, from whence most of
today's top players hail.
Ding, however, has had to do it in China, where the game of snooker (a
game of trying to score by hitting colored balls on a table into a pocket
or trying to stop the opponent from doing so via SNOOKER - blocking by
putting a ball in the path of the target ball) was virtually unheard of
before Ding came into this world. So, what Ding's done is really
incredibly difficult, no doubt it. Any casual remarks of emulating Ding
betray a lack of understanding and a healthy respect.
But, on the other hand, Ding himself is proof that it can be done.
Before Ding stunned seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry in Beijing,
who would've thought that one day a player from the Chinese mainland would
be clanging balls on the same table with the likes of Hendry, six-time
world champion Steve Davis and O'Sullivan, not to say defeating them and
winning trophies!
Yet, Junhui did it. He did it, not because he was a genius (which he
is), or because he had great parents (which he has), but because of
dedication and single-mindedness. Contrary to popular belief that he's
young (which he is), in term of snooker, he's a veteran. The boy started
early - at the tender age of seven. One way of looking at him is that he's
only 19, an age at which a lot of his peers haven't obtained a clue
whatsoever to do with their lives. Another way of looking at it is, of
course, that he's a veteran, having spent 12 years on the game and 12
dedicated years at that. The guy loves the game, and is willing to put in
the hours necessary for success and for that, he is duly rewarded. Like
the Li Ning marketing catchphrase says: Anything is possible.
However, the answer to the second question - can the Dings be emulated?
- is a definite "no" if you ask me.
Here are some obvious reasons. First, your child might not be one who
loves the game that much, willing to play the game at the expense of
school education and often have to play on empty stomachs, like Ding had
to. If he did get back to the dining table, Ding had but fast noodles to
gorge his young and growing appetite with - the days were that harsh back
in the, well, bad old days.
Second, you as parents might have better things to do than Ding's
parents. You might not really want to give up jobs, family businesses,
sell the family homes, move to other cities (all of which Ding's parents
did) just to live the dreams of their son. In other words, you might have
a life of your own. Your might have your own dreams to pursue. It's
probably not a good idea to cram three minds into the body of one.
Third, no matter how much you as a family fancy the idea of basking in
the glories of the son on day actually making, well, the family dream come
true, you probably aren't dedicated enough to go through the same things
that the Dings had to endure, such as the ignominy of life as gypsies in
dingy one-room dormitories, exhausting the family fortune (however meager
that may be) and surviving each passing day with hope but also with that
big what-if in the back of the mind - what if the child fails to make it.
In the Ding's case, there appears to be enough love amongst the three
of them to survive the worst. But another family might not have the
makings to endure a decade of wander, hardship and obscurity.
In short, Ding's results can be repeated, if you care to try, and in
all probability try even harder than he. But the family feat is best not
be emulated. There are too many intangibles to advise any family to even
try.
Instead, be inspired and learn from the Dings in spirit and blaze your
own trails, whatever you do.
After beating Stephen Hendry, Ding told interviewers that his next goal
is to beat O'Sullivan, a two-time world champion known for his quick-fire
approach to the game - tellingly, O'Sullivan's nickname is the Rocket.
Equally tellingly, what Ding said at the time was: "I appreciate his game,
but I am not thinking about becoming another O'Sullivan."
Now that he's added the Rocket's scalp to his illustrious collection of
victims (the significant others being Hendry and Davis, arguably the best
to ever play the game), what's next for Ding?
With the Northern Island Trophy in hand, Ding said: "I want to get
better in every match that I play."
With that attitude, I'm sure we have an opportunity to getting as used
to wins for Ding as we are used to heading to the door to answer the
ring-ting-ting.
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