Running a varsity volleyball team requires a system change

Korean volleyball’s demise at the biggest tournament (Asian Games-AG). We have to face the reality. As a volleyball fan, it’s heartbreaking.

The Korean women’s volleyball team failed to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2022 Hangzhou AG quarterfinal round after losing to China 0-3 in straight sets in the first match of Group E on April 4. It was the second time in 17 years and only the second time in history that Korea’s women’s volleyball team has failed to win a medal at an AG since Doha 2006.

The men’s team was eliminated from the tournament before it even officially opened with a 0-3 loss to Pakistan in the quarterfinals on March 22. It was a whopping 61 years since the 1962 Jakarta Games (5th place). This is the first time in history that the men’s and women’s national teams have finished with a combined ‘gold medal’ on the AG stage.

Both the men’s and women’s teams went into the Hangzhou AG with a sense of crisis after a string of poor performances in recent international competitions. The reality was worse than we thought.

The women’s team suffered an upset 2-3 loss to Vietnam in their first group game on the first day of the tournament. Watching the Vietnamese play on the field, it was clear that they were no match for the Korean team, especially Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, the game’s top scorer (24 points), who had played three seasons in the Japanese league. South Korea had previously only faced China, Japan, and Thailand as Asian competition. Now it has to admit that other countries have improved significantly.

There is a general consensus that the women’s national team is in a transitional period as it undergoes a generational change. Even if an outstanding player emerges from the V-League to join the national team, or a world-class coach takes the helm, it is difficult to see a dramatic change in the current situation 무지개토토.

At this point, there is no point in discussing power tactics in the AG. We need to work together to solve the underlying problems. First of all, we need to change the national team management system.

China, Japan, and Thailand have centralized the management of their youth, youth, and adult national teams. Some Southeast Asian countries do the same. Korea should take a cue from them. While taking into account practical issues, we need to have a system that allows age groups to work together organically. Younger players gain valuable experience just by working with the seniors they look up to.

It’s also important to create an environment where the manager or coach of the adult national team can see the younger players and help them grow. In particular, coaches who work directly with players and power analytics and trainers should be able to influence the entire age group. This way, when a coach changes, there is continuity.

Setting a clear direction for each competition is essential. In the case of the Japanese women’s national team, the adult squad is also divided into A-B teams. The Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers were the A team, the Asian Championships and the Hangzhou AG were the B team. South Korea had a strong run from the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) last summer to the Asian Championships, Olympic Qualifiers, and AG. Factors other than strength may have contributed to their failure to win a medal at the AG.

The players need to change their mindset. They need to stop thinking that they can dominate against Southeast Asian countries. I think some of the players realized their position in the international arena. I want them to not be satisfied with their performance in the domestic stage (V-League), but to be greedy to improve their skills so that they can go to a higher position.