‘Volleyball Empress’ Kim Yeon-kyung (Heungkuk Life) emphasized the need to develop the system and hold more international competitions to strengthen the international competitiveness of the national volleyball team.
Speaking at the ‘Korea Volleyball Association-Women’s National Team Retired Players’ Meeting’ held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Tuesday, Kim said, “There is currently a lack of support for men’s volleyball as well as women’s volleyball. We need to create a system that extends from the youth to the adult national team, and we need a long-term project for the future,” said Kim.
“This summer, the women’s national team is going overseas for training. They won’t be at the Olympics this year, but they are preparing for the next one. There are many international competitions around the world every year. If international competitions are held in Korea, athletes can gain experience and improve their skills.” 토토사이트 “Volleyball was one of the sports that touched the people in the past. If many people, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, show interest, we will do our best to reciprocate,” he added.
South Korea’s women’s national volleyball team has been on a downward spiral
South Korea’s women’s national volleyball team has been on a downward spiral since the retirement of Kim Yeon-kyung, Yang Hyo-jin (Hyundai E&C) and Kim Soo-ji (Heungkuk Life), who led the team to the quarterfinals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The team finished fifth at last year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, failing to win a medal for the first time in 17 years since the 2006 Doha Games (fifth place). They also suffered their 30th consecutive loss in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League 2024 (VNL).
The men’s national volleyball team has also been on a downward spiral. Last year, they finished seventh at the Hangzhou Asian Games, their first medal in 61 years. They finished third at the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup, a tournament they were aiming to win.
Lee Sook-ja, a former women’s national volleyball team member and volleyball commentator, emphasized the importance of revitalizing youth volleyball, which is the future of Korean volleyball.
“For the development of volleyball, 사설 토토사이트 youth players need to grow. Programs to develop good leaders are also important for their growth. If the leaders receive systematic training, the youth players will receive better guidance,” he said.