Ping Cao's Obituary
Dear friends and family, Thank you for the love and condolences you’ve shared for our family. We have decided to hold a private, intimate funeral ceremony for Ping. If you wish observe, we will provide a live-streaming link. We plan to hold a public memorial service in December and will provide the date, time, and location as soon as arrangements are finalized. We appreciate your understanding and kindness.
Ping Cao, beloved husband, father, Olympian, and volleyball coach, passed away on October 24, 2025 after a courageous fight with cancer.
His celebration of life will be held at Restland Funeral Home on Sunday, November 2 from 9:00am - 11:00am.
Skyline Juniors Volleyball Club and Texas Advantage Volleyball Club, in conjunction with Ping’s family, will be co-hosting a wider memorial to honor his contributions to the volleyball community at a future date in December. Details about the wider memorial will be announced in the coming weeks.
Coach Ping spent his coaching career inspiring athletes and coaches at Sports Performance, TAV, Drive Nation, and most recently, Skyline Juniors. A former Olympian who proudly represented China in the 1984 Olympics, he dedicated his life to sharing that same love and excitement for the game. His true happiness was found on the court - guiding athletes, celebrating their progress, and sharing his deep love for the sport every single day.
From his wife, Jane:
亲爱的，我好想留住你，留住你在我的身边。你的声音，你的气息，你对排球的热情，你一辈子只做一件事情的执着，深深地吸引我、感染我，我不肯放弃任何一场有你的球赛，我为你摇旗助威，为你的队赢得每场球而开心——今后，没有了你的生活，我失去了这份热情，怎么办？
就像你临别前看着我问我：今后怎么办？
你用顽强的精神抵抗着，你想把生命延长些，好一路照看我，怕我碰到困难，怕我做错事。亲爱的，那种焦急，伴在你临别的呼吸里，一声声，敲碎了我的心！
我们彼此不肯放手的手终于被命运强行地掰开了，瞬间我无法像过去那样能唤回你。
哪怕你忍着病痛，哪怕我们面对无尽的去看医生的长途辛劳，我们也愿意啊！就是不想分开，就是不想生活从此没了伴！
亲爱的，我们曾无数遍地相见恨晚，我们曾无数遍地懊恼彼此错过的青春年华，我们要怎样地补回？
命运给了我们一个美好的相遇，我们一见如故，顺理成章地走到一起，可是在一起的路却给了我们这个极大的坎！
我们彼此都沒有做好准备，我们甚至还没有意识到将要别离，我们还有好多话没说呀！
你如今是永远地留在了我的心里，脑海里，和生活的每一个细节里。
我知道今后每做一件事便会想到你曾经的唠叨，那些有时候惹恼我的唠叨，竟成了我永远的回憶。
亲爱的，相遇一场是天大的缘分，我们有这个缘分是多么的幸运啊！ 请你安息，好好地安息吧！爱你！
My dear, I miss you so much and wish to keep you by my side forever. Your voice, your breath, your passion for volleyball, and your dedication to doing one thing your whole life deeply attracted and inspired me. I never give up any game that you play; I cheer for you and feel so much joy in every victory you and your team achieves. But now, without you in my life, I've lost this passion. What should I do?
Just like you asked me before you left: What should I do? You fought so hard, wanting to prolong your life just to watch over me, afraid that I'd face difficulties or make mistakes. My dear, the anxiety in your last breaths shattered my heart!
Our unwilling hands were forcibly pried apart by fate, and in an instant, I can no longer call you back like I had before. Even through your pain and the long, arduous journeys to doctor visits, we were willing to go whatever distance! We just never want to part ways; never wanted to be without each other’s company.
My dear, we’ve met countless times only to regret not having met sooner. We’ve lamented over the youth we missed together; how can we make up for that? Fate granted us a beautiful encounter, and we clicked instantly, coming together naturally, but the journey together has tested us greatly!
Neither of us were prepared for what was to come; we didn’t even realize we were about to part ways already. There are still so many things left unsaid! You will forever remain in my heart, in my mind, and in every detail of my life. I know that with everything I do from now on, I will think of your nagging—those little annoyances that sometimes bothered me have become my eternal memories.
My dear, meeting you was a great fortune, and how lucky we are to have had this connection! Please rest in peace, rest well! I love you endlessly.
From his son, Feng:
The world of volleyball will miss him.
I don’t need to describe how much Dad has loved, contributed to, and sacrificed for volleyball — you already know. The communities he impacted and the lives he changed are countless. His accolades and medals fill a garage to the brim. His passion and dedication to the sport, both on and off the court, will be sorely missed. But he will live on through us — the players he coached and mentored — with every dig, set, and spike.
The “Guandan” world will miss him.
I still don’t fully understand this game, but for those who don’t know, it’s a Chinese card game played by four people in teams of two. What I can tell you is that Dad shared the same passion for Guandan as he did for volleyball. I could hear his roars halfway across the house whenever he won or lost a game (or is it called a set? I still don’t know). His favorite pastime in recent years, after volleyball, was having friends over to play well into the early morning hours.
I will miss him.
I will miss his laughter, his positivity, and even his constant nagging when we were together. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the discipline and perseverance he instilled in me from a very young age.
I hate that you died so young. It’s unfair. You were so healthy, active, and full of life. I’m sad that you’ll never get to meet your future grandchildren or enjoy your golden years in San Diego.
I love you, Dad.
Angella, Tater Tot, and I will miss you so very much.
What’s your fondest memory of Ping?
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