By definition, only one can be the best. All of the also-rans, who constitute the vast majority of participants in any endeavor, must then honestly assess their situations and decide the best course of action. Table tennis, like any sport, is mercilessly competitive. Lacking the headline-grabbing salaries of more lucrative sports, paddlers are in fierce competition for a relatively small resource pool. This competitiveness is distilled to its most brutal essence in China, where constant improvement is necessary to stay afloat amid an unrelenting tide of younger, hungrier players. Shen Yaohuan grew up in this environment, competing with the best of the best. At 22, he is a contemporary of world #1 Fan Zhendong, and the two even played together as children. Of course, in China this means they competed against each other, the results meticulously recorded as the state-sponsored table tennis coaches decided whom to promote to the next level of competition. While he acquired world-class skill, Shen Yaohuan ultimately did not make the cut. Fan Zhendong, of course, has become the most dominant player in the world and, frighteningly, appears to just be warming up. So where does this leave Shen Yaohuan? Many players in his position have emigrated to assume the top spots in other countries. Others go back to school and look for a life not scored by the rhythm of a bouncing plastic ball. Shen has found another approach, one which has taken him around the world just like a Chinese national team member. Instead of traveling to compete, however, his mission is now to help others train to be their best. "I realized that instead of waiting to get my first break, I should start coaching so that other people can (get theirs)," said Shen. "I was highly inspired by other Chinese players and since somebody coached them, I decided to coach others." That has proven to be a very smart career move. Shen is rapidly building a star-studded client base, including world #10 Lin Jin-Yu of Chinese Taipei and world #30 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran of India, each the top player in his country. Gnanasekaran, the only player from India to qualify for the World Cup, hired Shen to help prepare for the prestigious tournament spanning November 29-December 1 in Chengdu, China. "It is the first time I will be having a one-to-one training session with a Chinese player in India," said Gnanasekaran. "I zeroed in on a player from China as they are still the best players in the world and I wanted to be familiar with their high speed game." In table tennis, the second fastest sport in the world after jai alai, lightning-quick reflexes are absolutely essential in order to compete with the world's top players. "Shen is one of the fastest players and countering his speed is a great challenge for me," continued Gnanasekaran. "I've been working on my speed and this training will stand me in good stead for the World Cup." Indeed, Shen has to be fast to keep up with the ever-growing demand for his services. In addition to India and Chinese Taipei, recent coaching work has taken him everywhere from Japan and Russia to Canada and the United States. That's just how it is when you're the best.

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