Kim Yeon-kyung, 35, of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders, cheered on her juniors as they advanced to the European stage.
The news came as a surprise to fans amid speculation of a crisis in Korean volleyball due to a recent slump in international competition. Lee Woo-jin, a senior at Gyeongbuk Sports High School, became the first Korean high school volleyball player to play in Europe after signing with Italian league powerhouse Monza.
Lee participated in the U19 World Volleyball Championship in Argentina in August as an outside hitter for the Korean youth national team, where he played well to lead Korea to a third-place finish and was named to the tournament's Best 7. After watching his performance, an Italian agent suggested that he play in the Italian league, and after much deliberation, the deal was finalized as he decided to go abroad. Lee left for Italy through Incheon International Airport on the 15th.
Kim Yeon-kyung, who played in overseas leagues in Japan, Turkey, and China and built a reputation as a volleyball heroine, and now plays for Heungkuk Life, used her network to help Lee enter Italy.
"When I heard that (Lee) was having trouble going abroad, I introduced her to an agent who had been helping me for more than 10 years," Kim said in an interview on Aug. 8. I got a good contract and went overseas," Kim said. 온라인카지노
"There were a lot of difficulties with the KOVO (Korea Volleyball Organization) rules," said Kim, who added, "We talk a lot about raising the level of volleyball, but I felt bad that I couldn't go overseas when I was younger. That's why I want to support her (Lee Woo-jin's challenge). It must not have been an easy decision. He could have been drafted if he went to the rookie draft in Korea, but he decided to give that up and try to play overseas. I hope he succeeds."
Samsung Fire Blue Force coach Kim Sang-woo also said in an interview on the 15th, "Lee Woo-jin is a player I've been watching since he was a freshman in high school. I hope he does well, because there are people who say why we don't let our players go overseas, but it was not a good situation. It's because we didn't have players who could stand out in foreign countries. If they do well, they are asked to go abroad, and they go. We need to find better players, and then they can go or not go," he said, emphasizing that Korean volleyball needs better prospects while supporting Lee Woo-jin's challenge.
"It's important to learn the language quickly," said Kim Yeon-kyung, a longtime foreign player in overseas leagues. (Lee) is young, so he should be able to learn quickly. As long as he adapts well, I think he will be able to show his skills soon," Kim said, giving heartfelt advice to the junior who chose a difficult challenge.