Director Abondanza’s mind was set. Other directors are in the dark.
On the afternoon of the 12th (Korean time), the Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) held a schedule for the second day of the 2023 women’s foreign player tryout at Hasan Doan Sport Complex in Turkey, Istanbul. Directors have actively changed. Before starting the evaluation match, we gathered on the court and asked for a situation that was more realistic than the previous day. It was the will to see proper performance.
A total of 33 players took to the court, an increase of two from 31 the previous day. We warmed up by talking to each other as if we were getting to know each other. Two male setters recruited locally also joined the team. The toss was definitely better than the first day, and the players who were relaxed also improved their condition.
The coaches watched the players from the same place as the day before. Heungkuk Life Insurance coach Marcello Abondanza was the only command tower sitting on the second floor. In the evaluation match that followed, the attack speed of the players increased. Directors are also starting to get busy. The gaze followed from the player’s fingertips to the corner of the court where the ball was shot.
When the evaluation match heats up, IBK Industrial Bank manager Kim Ho-cheol came out to the court. Coach Kim said, “I can’t see enough of the Apposite Spiker’s play with the current method,” and suggested, “I want to see the attack power mainly with the Apposite Spiker.” Pepper Savings Bank Aachen Kim thought the same thing. Reflecting the opinions of the coaches, the evaluation match was changed to a way to check the attack power of the Apposite Spiker.
Coach Kim said calmly, “The player I saw well yesterday and the player I saw well today are a bit different. Coach Kim said, “I think we’ll have to see each other one more day tomorrow.” “Foreign players should be the team’s leader. Look at their personalities and movements,” he said. “he emphasized.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction manager Kang Seong-hyung wants Yasmin Bedart (27, USA/Israel, 1m93), but the reality is that it cannot be as he wishes. The odds of picking a player first are slim, and even if Yasmin is chosen, the nightmare of last season could repeat itself. Yasmin led Hyundai Engineering & Construction until the beginning and middle of the season and did his part, but he left due to a back injury, and in the end, Hyundai Engineering & Construction could not overcome the vacancy and was pushed to second place in the regular league and failed to advance to the championship match.
Coach Kang expressed his grievance, saying, “I’m looking at things like offense, height, and strength, but now (the players in the tryout) can’t meet them.” Regarding Yasmin, he said, “I have a lot of worries because there is a risk of returning to my best condition.” He then confessed his frustration, “In terms of skill, there is no player like Yasmin. I want to have a chimney, but I’m worried about the risk.”
‘Defending champion’ Korea Expressway Corporation coach Kim Jong-min said, “I see a new face. I’m watching with the team situation a little more difficult than last season in mind.”
tryout landscape. Photo┃KOVO
After the evaluation match, a meeting between the coaches and the players was held in a friendly atmosphere. We narrowed the distance by asking and answering questions to each other. The players emphasized that their physical condition is not 100% as the season is over. He said that although he trained with weights, the sense of the game was inevitably absent. The coaches explained that they are looking for players who can adapt to the Korean volleyball style that emphasizes defense as well as the unique culture of strong bonds with teammates. Athletes who are vegetarian or who do not eat certain foods for religious reasons were also checked.
6:00 p.m. local time after the meeting. Time for clubs willing to re-sign players they played last season to notify KOVO. Heungkuk Life Insurance decided to renew the contract with Yelena Mrazenovic (26, Bosnia/Serbia, 1m96). Korea Expressway Corporation Catherine Bell (30, USA, 1m90), GS Caltex Leticia Moma Basoko (30, Cameroon, 1m84), and IBK Industrial Bank Dali Santana (28, USA, 1m85) were not selected by their team.
Heungkuk Life Insurance coach Avon Danza said, 먹튀검증 “Yelena is a player who can grow bigger and can grow,” and said, “She has already made up her mind to renew the contract.” Coach Abondanza, who joined midway through last season, evaluated that there was not enough time to introduce his volleyball style. I am determined that the upcoming season will be different as I can prepare from off-season and there are changes in members. Head coach Abondanza expressed his aspirations, saying, “I strongly believe that (the championship challenge), which started as a member (last season), is not over yet,” and “I want to win with this member until the end.”
There are now 6 teams left. The players who participated in the tryout will have a chance to play an active role in the V-League next season in the final draft after the final evaluation match on the 13th.