Kim Yeon-kyung, who is contemplating life after retirement, says, “I have recently become more interested in becoming a coach.”

by times news cr

“I want to enjoy the new season rather than focusing on winning.”

ⓒNewsis

‘Volleyball queen’ Kim Yeon-kyung (Heungkuk Life Insurance), who is contemplating her life after retirement, has expressed her desire to pursue a career as a coach.

Kim Yeon-kyung, who is participating in the team’s spring training in Shanghai, China, said on the 27th, “I have various pictures in my head (about life after retirement), but my priorities have changed recently.” She added, “In the past, my desire to become a coach after retirement was at the very bottom, but recently, the thought of becoming a coach who directly teaches players on the field and leads the team is slowly rising to the top.”

He continued, “Originally, I wanted to do something as a volleyball administrator or sports administrator, but recently, I’ve been thinking that there are many things that I can change on the field,” adding, “Of course, people around me and close to me vehemently oppose these thoughts.”

Regarding the common belief that a player who started out as a superstar cannot succeed as a coach, he said, “I don’t care. People around me often say, ‘You have to do well as a coach to make a profit,’ but I don’t want to stop doing what I want to do because I think about that.”
Kim Yeon-kyung, who returned to the V-League for the 2022-2023 season, showed off her good form by winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for two consecutive seasons. However, the team lost in the championship series for two consecutive seasons.

Kim Yeon-kyung, who has started to pickle for the new season, is trying to enjoy it. Kim Yeon-kyung said, “I have won many championships in the past, so I know the sweetness well. That is why I had a greater desire to win, and I was even more disappointed that I was the runner-up for two consecutive seasons.” She added, “I want to enjoy the upcoming season rather than obsess over winning. I think I can get better results if I enjoy it.”

He added, “The championship is determined by how much effort we put in during the off-season. It would be nice if the season ended with a championship, but I’ve realized over the past two years that it’s not something that can be achieved with skill or effort alone.” He continued, “The club is providing a lot of support, including increasing the number of staff. I remain determined to do my best as I earnestly desire to win.”

Shanghai is a place that holds a special connection to Kim Yeon-kyung. Kim Yeon-kyung played for Shanghai Bright Ubest in the 2017-2018 season and the 2021-2022 season.

Kim Yeon-kyung said, “The training camp was scheduled to take place in Japan or Korea, but the team manager asked me what Shanghai, China was like, and I said no. That’s why I came here,” and added, “The hotel I’m staying at now is where I used to stay when I was a player in Shanghai, so it feels a bit like coming home. On the first day of arriving at the training camp, I was happy to see the coach, staff, and players I worked with in Shanghai.”

At the entrance to the Shanghai Bright Ubest training center where Heungkuk Life Insurance players train, there are several photos of Kim Yeon-kyung playing in the past on display.

Kim Yeon-kyung said, “I thought you changed the photo, but there were still a lot of old photos hanging up. So I asked the Shanghai team manager, ‘You didn’t change the photo,’ and he said, ‘Kim Yeon-kyung’s photo will never be changed. ‘” She added with a laugh, “But you never know. It might have changed when I come next year.”

[서울=뉴시스]

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2024-08-28 11:51:41

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