GS Caltex started reorganizing its team by appointing Lee Young-taek as its 13th coach with 2024-2025 season ahead. However, its main players failed to join the team. Kang So-hwi, the main catcher who became a free agent, went to Korea Expressway Corporation, Han Ha-hye, who became a libero, went to Pepper Savings Bank, and Choi Eun-ji also went to Heungkuk Life Insurance. Han Su-ji and Jung Dae-young, who maintained the middle blocker line, retired. It was natural that they had to form a new team with Lee, but there were too many players who left the team.스포츠토토
Instead, he brought in middle blockers Seo Chae-won and Choi Ga-eun as FA compensation players and filled the void by signing outside heater Kim Joo-hyang as FA. He also renewed his contract with Gisele Silva, a foreign player who bombed the women’s team in the V-League last year. He had a hard time as an Asian quarter player last season, but this season he selected Stephanie Weiler from Australia who has a physical condition of 195 centimeters.
It has been about six months since he took office, and he has been conducting off-season training for seven nights and eight days since the 6th. It is the last time for jade stone coverings and tempering ahead of the KOVO Cup to be held in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do from the 29th.
Reflecting on his past performances, Lee said, “He has exceeded my expectations.” A young team of players, whose average age is 21.2 years old, is experiencing fast-tempo volleyball through consecutive matches against higher-level Japanese teams. “I have done enough for the training in Korea,” Lee said. “I need to have hands-on experience as there are many young players. I wanted to see them experience and adapt to the new level by bumping into Japanese teams that are playing volleyball.” He explained the meaning and effect of the upcoming training in Japan.
What about blocking that Lee Young-taek, a former middle blocker, has emphasized all the time? “I came here to teach blocking. I have followed him well and I am getting better. Now I think the players are having fun blocking. They are letting me know that I can defend well only if I am good at blocking. I can also improve my understanding by showing the data,” Lee said.
“When it comes to GS Caltex, I thought it was the team that was the last in blocking but was very good at defense,” coach Lee Young-taek said. However, he was talking about the data differently. It was right that the blocking figures were the worst. During 36 matches and 132 sets, the team had 221 blockings and only 1.67 per set. However, the defense data was much different from players’ expectations. It ranked sixth with 18.39 digs per set. Its combined receiving and digs also ranked fifth with 25.8 digs per set. The figures were at the bottom.
“Recent season data showed that our defense team was at the bottom of the list. It just looked good. Players were surprised,” Lee said. “If blocking is bad, of course, defense is not good. Players are training with this in mind.”
Silva, a foreign player, needs consideration for his physical condition, but his class remains the same. However, Stephanie is still an unfinished player in the Asian quarter. As a former beach volleyball player, she has learned indoor volleyball for about four years. She needs to refine her details and basic skills. “Stephanie’s volleyball has improved a lot and is getting better every day. It is probably the first time that he has systematically exercised and trained so well. She has been following me well despite the large amount of training she has done so far,” she said.
Silva, Stephanie, and the middle blocker line are all important players. However, Lee Young-taek picked setter Kim Ji-won as the key player for the upcoming season. “Kim Ji-won is the most important. It was my first time to play a full season last season. I played the full season and immediately joined the national team after the end of the season, and I think that experience helped me a lot,” Lee said. “I am not a player without skills. Just average. It is important to reduce the number of ups and downs.”
Coach Avo Kiyoshi, a former setter and former coach of the Japanese women’s volleyball team by age, is a big help to coach Lee. “Coach Avo has well-organized training plan and is really teaching me in detail,” Lee said. “I am meticulously monitoring the progress of the training in stages.” The players also said, “It is my first time to practice like this. They are teaching me new and interesting training methods so that I don’t get bored.”
“He takes notes at every training session and consults with me. In Japan, we are making detailed reviews by respecting each other even though we have thick bones,” he said, adding that the coaching staff are in good harmony.
“It is so good to see young players coming together because they are close to each other. They are cohesive. The players have also been following a lot of training and tough schedules,” Lee said, encouraging the players. Many critics say he is weak this season, but Lee believes in young players’ spirit.
He said, “The players have followed well so far. In both the KOVO Cup and the regular season, if you do well in the first game and the first set, I think you will be okay afterwards. At first, the players lack experience, so of course, they can stutter. When you enter the game, there are various variables. If you pass these variables well, I think it will be okay. I will prepare well until the end.”