Returning to the Korean league, I met head coach Lee Young-taek, who this time wore the jersey of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea. Entering the gym, he greeted, “Ah, I’m not a coach anymore, I’m just a coach.”

On the 4th, IBK posted a welcome post on the club’s official SNS, saying, “Introducing the new coaching staff of the IBK Altos Volleyball Team” and welcoming the recruitment of head coach Lee Young-taek. 

After retiring from active duty in 2009, coach Lee Young-taek, a former middle blocker, has built a career as a leader through Hyundai E&C and KGC Ginseng Corporation. Afterwards, he was appointed as the official director of Ginseng Corporation in 2020, but put down the 크크크벳 baton at the end of the 21-22 season.  

In the 22-23 season, he coached men’s volleyball. However, it is not a domestic league. Coach Lee was appointed as the head coach of Palembang Bank in the Indonesian league and departed with Song Joon-ho of Hyundai Capital. However, Palembang Bank had a disappointing result of 7th out of 8 teams. After that, the coach returned to Korea again. After taking a short break, he started building his leadership career again at IBK.

It is last Monday (April 24) that he joined his squad. I was able to briefly hear about the recruitment process from Coach Lee, who I met with this magazine on the 3rd at the Yongin Training Center. He said, “I went to Indonesia and took a short break at home.” .

Coach Lee seemed to have lost a lot of weight compared to his last season in Korea as a coach. The coach who sat across from me told me the story of the Indonesian league.  

A lot of stories came out. “It was too hot because the heating was poor” was the most common comment. Sitting with a paper cup in hand, the coach laughed, saying, “Someone showed me a picture of an intravenous injection and skipped training saying, ‘My family is sick.’ However, they did not impose sanctions on the players concerned. In addition to the communication problem, the story about the poor facilities and the anecdote about Song Jun-ho, who was said to have enjoyed idol-level popularity, were also solved in small ways. 

Coach Lee also shared his thoughts on the recently held Asia Quarter. He said, “Currently, two Indonesian players have been selected for the women’s division.” In addition to Ginseng Corp.’s striker Megawatti Puttywe, GS Caltex’s Mehdi Yoku is from Indonesia. 

Coach Lee said, “I was in charge of the men’s team in Indonesia, but I’ve seen all of them because I played the league in the same place as the women’s team.” I think it is done to supplement and also to adjust the value of players.” 

Back to the team story. Currently, IBK has veteran Kim Su-ji transferred to Heungkuk Life Insurance, and Choi Jung-min, Kim Hyun-jung, and Lim Hye-rim will protect the midfield this season. Coach Lee said, “First of all, since I am a coach, it is right to follow the direction of the coach.” 

“In fact, there is no player with exceptional height like Hyo-jin Yang and Ho-young Jeong, but for middle blockers, their ability is important, but how well the setter matches them is important, (Kim) Ha Kyung-i is also getting better while training with the coach In the same case, he is a player who plays fast but also uses the middle well, and probably (Ponpun) will be a very good player for middle blockers.” In addition, about Lim Hye-rim, who was recruited as a compensation player for Kim Su-ji, “I was a friend I saw in high school, but I have a good body

. The conditions are so good, there is plenty of potential for growth.” 

In addition to the professional league, as a women’s volleyball coach, I was able to hear thoughts about the current national team from coach Lee.

The Korean women’s volleyball team, where veterans such as Kim Yeon-kyung, Yang Hyo-jin, and Kim Su-ji, left, suffered a fierce struggle, losing in the 2022 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) last year and winning just one win at the World Championships in September. The 2023 VNL will be held from the 30th of the year that comes before I know it. There are also different views. Commentator Han Yu-mi was appointed as a new coach, and Kim Yeon-kyung once again wore the Taegeuk mark as an advisor, not a player.

Currently, representatives from Jeongwon Moon (Korea Expressway Corporation), Jooah Lee (Heungkuk Life Insurance), Jungah Park (Pepper Savings Bank), and Hyeseon Yeom (KGC Ginseng Corporation) are training at the Jincheon National Training Center. Regarding 

this part, coach Lee Young-taek said, “Anyway, the current national team is missing a great player named Kim Yeon-kyung. Fans’ expectations have risen this much, but it is not easy to fill the gap because there are no results.

” “The players who have achieved this will be going through the most difficult period,” he said. “The players will probably be under a lot of stress, but I think this year will probably be better than last year. I don’t think there will be a total defeat,” he said. 

In addition, “The schedule of the national team players is tight, but if the results in international competitions are not good, interest in them fades in an instant.