“We need to improve our competitiveness with serve and speed.”
The Korean women’s volleyball team held an open training for the women’s volleyball team held at the Jincheon National Training Center on the 16th.
The national team was convened at the Jincheon National Training Center on the 24th of last month and started training. A big tournament is planned for this year. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Volleyball Nations League (VNL), which begins at the end of May, and the Olympic qualifiers with tickets for the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held. In addition, the Asian Games and Asian Championships are also held.
Coach Cesar, the head of the national team, was absent this year due to the schedule of his team, Turkiye Vakifbank. Instead, team training was conducted with newly appointed coach Han Yu-mi and advisor Kim Yeon-kyung.스포츠토토
Two weeks have passed since the national team was convened. A coach who met with the reporters on this day said, “When we met in the first week, our physical condition was not bad. The players who finished the season early came in after resting and building their bodies, and the players who played until late also felt good about the ball. From the first week, I was able to digest the practice like a real match,” he said about the condition of the players.
Regarding communication with the director, he said, “We are continuing to communicate. He is communicating every day about his physical condition and what needs to be improved when training. From last week, we started practicing on our own, and we took a video and sent it. There were detailed instructions. There were things like making this part faster, wishing I could use a center back attack, or wishing setters had a longer ball length. We are trying to improve accuracy by reflecting this in training.”
Last year’s national team changed a lot. After the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, veterans Kim Yeon-kyung, Kim Su-ji, and Yang Hyo-jin retired, and the command tower also changed from Lavalini to Cesar. It wasn’t smooth from the start. VNL was humiliated by all 12 losses, and recorded 1 win and 5 losses in the world championship. South Korea’s FIVB ranking fell to 23rd.
The goal of Korean women’s volleyball is to qualify for the 4th consecutive Olympics. Now is the time for a rebound.
One coach said, “I don’t know exactly how last year was, but the preparations seem to be going well. Even if the players don’t have to talk about it, they try harder and show their will,” he said. “There are no unimportant games this year. First of all, VNL is first, but I want to show a gradual improvement over time. Personally, I think you should get more than one win per parking lot. And at the end of the important competition, the breathing part will be better.”
Coach Han was also an experienced player. He was a member of Shinhwa in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics, and after retiring as an active player in 2018, he served as a KBS N commentator. In response, a coach said, “When I was active, I emphasized organization and defense. However, recently Korean players have improved in height, and the serve is considered a strong point. I wish I could save more of this. This will give you a competitive advantage in international competitions. Height and speed are important,” he explained. “Also, while a foreign coach is in charge of the national team, he is learning a lot about how foreign players play and how to deal with situations.”
With coach Han Yu-mi and advisor Kim Yeon-kyung joining the national team, the biggest advantage is considered smooth communication. Captain Park Jeong-ah also said, “I think I can talk more comfortably because I have coach Uni or Yeon-kyung unnie.” That puts the burden on the claim.
The national team is preparing to run again for another miracle. The national team plans to depart for Turkiye Antalya on the 22nd, where the first week of the VNL will be held.