Kim Joo-young, the unlikely hero filling in for Tyson Dull as host, has revealed his affection for his brothers,
KEPCO is without a single foreign player at the 2023 preseason men’s professional volleyball tournament, which is being held in Danyang from July 17-21. That’s because outside hitter Jupo Tice Dulhorst won’t be able to join the team until early October due to his commitments to the 2023 European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) Men’s Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifiers.
Of course, KEPCO isn’t the only team to play without a foreign player in the pre-V-League competition, but it’s the setter who’s filling the void. Kim Joo-young, a setter born in 2004, has been filling in for Tice in the preseason tournament, using her experience as a wing attacker in high school. She is playing as the so-called ‘Danyang Tais’.
“At first, it was difficult for me to play as an attacker, but my brothers told me that it was okay to make mistakes and to be confident, so I feel like I can do it a little easier,” Kim Joo-young told The Spike after the match against Hyundai Capital on the 19th. When asked about his confidence as an attacker and whether he has a role model, he said, “I’m confident in attacking quickly, and Korean Air’s (Jung) Ji-seok is my role model as an attacker.”
We were also curious about Kim’s most confident play and role model as a setter. “As a setter, my most confident play is the back C pass. My role models are my teammates (Ha) Seung-woo and (Kim) Kwang-gook (laughs). From Seung-woo, I want to learn the speed of the back C pass, and from Kwang-gook, I want to learn the know-how to shoot directly without holding the forward C pass and the two-step connection.”
Kim’s roommate, Ryohei Iga, who joined KEPCO for the Asian Quarterfinals this season, said, “Kim Joo-young is the player I’ve become the closest to since coming to Korea. She’s like a cute little cousin,” he said. “I’m also a homebody, so neither of us used to go out much, but the first time we went out together was when I asked him to go eat with me. After we ate, he asked me to go to Lotte World, so we went together,” Kim Joo-young said, sharing a fun off-season story with Ryohei.
When asked about the difference between the professional and amateur stages, Kim said, “There are many players who are older and have been playing for a long time, so the overall atmosphere is a little different.” When asked if he felt a generation gap with the seniors on the team, he didn’t hesitate for even a second and said, “Oh, I don’t feel it,” like a machine. “In my rookie season, I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I was constantly being held back. I think this season is much better, including the team atmosphere,” he added.스포츠토토
Kim concluded the interview by saying, “During the off-season, the players prepared a lot for the championship. I hope the fans will also enjoy this season and support the team hard.” Kim concluded the interview by saying that she wished the fans a happy new season. What kind of stories will the second season of the Danyang Tigers have in store for us, as they are doing their part regardless of their position during the off-season. The fans of the KEPCO are ready to watch and support his growth.
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