Kim Yeon-kyung: “I’ve recently started thinking about becoming a leader but people around me are trying to dissuade me.”
Kim Yeon-kyung: “I’ve recently started thinking about becoming a leader but people around me are trying to dissuade me.”
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Kim Yeon-kyung (36, Heungkuk Life Insurance) hinted at her dream of becoming a 'volleyball coach.'
World-renowned volleyball star Kim Yeon-kyung said in an interview with a joint press corps in Shanghai, China on the 27th, "I've been drawing various pictures of my 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."
Kim Yeon-kyung said, "Originally, I wanted to do something as a volleyball administrator and sports administrator, but recently, I've been thinking that there are many things that can be changed on the field," adding, "Of course, people around me and close to me fiercely oppose these thoughts of mine. The opposition is quite strong."
Although he is deeply troubled by the opposition from those around him, he is not swayed by the common saying that 'it is difficult for a former superstar to succeed as a leader.
Kim Yeon-kyung said, "I don't care about such rumors. People around me do care a lot and say, 'You only get what you pay for if you do well as a coach. '" She added, "After going to Fukuoka, Japan, to watch the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in person and watching the 2024 Paris Olympics on-site, I once again thought, 'Is being on-site right for me? '"
Kim Yeon-kyung, an active player, has not decided on her future after retirement.
Kim Yeon-kyung confessed, "Nothing has been decided yet, and everyone around me is against (my entry into coaching)."
However, it seems certain that the idea of leadership is growing.
Kim Yeon-kyung said, "People around me try to dissuade me from using the honor and reputation I built as a player to become a coach, but I don't want to give up on what I want to do when I think about things like that."
Currently, Kim Yeon-kyung is training with her Heungkuk 토토 Life Insurance teammates in Shanghai, China.
Kim Yeon-kyung also played for Shanghai in the 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 seasons.
He said, "The training camp was scheduled to take place in Japan and Korea, but the team asked, 'How is Shanghai, China?' and I said, 'It's fine. '" He continued, "The hotel I'm staying in now is also where I sometimes stayed when I played in Shanghai. I'm doing well, it feels like home. On the first day of arriving at the training camp, I was happy to see the coaches, staff, and players I used to work 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 cheerfully, "There were still a lot of old photos hanging up. So I asked the Shanghai team manager, 'Haven't you changed the photos?' and he said, 'Kim Yeon-kyung's photos will never be changed. '" But you never know. It might have changed when I come next year."
Kim Yeon-kyung has been active in various ways during this off-season. She held a retirement ceremony for the national team led by the KYK Foundation she founded, and also visited the Paris Olympics as one of the 12 ambassadors selected by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
The national team retirement ceremony was not just Kim Yeon-kyung's event, but was even more meaningful because it was held with the national team's seniors and juniors who had made it to the semifinals of London in 2012 and Tokyo in 2020.
Kim Yeon-kyung explained, "It was an idea that came out while promoting the World All-Star Game. I was planning to hold the national team retirement ceremony alone, but I expanded it and ended up doing it with my teammates who were on the national team together." She added, "I'm glad it ended successfully. My sisters also told me a lot of thank yous."
He continued, "I was cautious as the FIVB ambassador schedule overlapped with the team's schedule, but the team readily agreed. Because the schedule was so tight, I didn't have time to enjoy other sports, so I spent time with fans who came to enjoy Olympic volleyball at events." He continued, "When I participated in the Olympics as an athlete, I only went back and forth between the stadium and the athletes' village, but this time, I felt a lot seeing the area around the stadium and the cheering and shouting of the fans. However, on the other hand, I still felt a lot of regret that our country's volleyball couldn't make it to the Olympics."
Kim Yeon-kyung was named the regular league MVP for two consecutive seasons, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
Individual skills are still world-class.
However, his team, Heungkuk Life Insurance, finished as runner-up in the championship finals for two consecutive seasons.
Kim Yeon-kyung said, "I knew the sweetness of winning very well, so I had a greater desire to win. That's why I was more disappointed that I finished as the runner-up for two seasons in a row," but added, "Now, rather than obsessing over winning, I want to enjoy it. If I enjoy it, I might get better results."
He added, "Winning is the result of how much effort we put in during the off-season, so it would be nice if it ended with a championship." He also said, "The club has increased the number of staff members this year and is providing a lot of support. I remain determined to do my best as the club desperately wants to win."
Kim Yeon-kyung is one of the players with the largest fan base in all of Korean sports.
Even on the day of departure for spring training, many fans flocked to see Kim Yeon-kyung.
Kim Yeon-kyung said, "People recognize me and approach me wherever I go, and although that kind of attention can be uncomfortable at times, it's something I have to endure," and expressed her gratitude to her fans, saying, "I try to enjoy the attention from my fans."
Kim Yeon-kyung, who doesn't have much time on the court as a player, plans to enjoy her active career and the attention she receives.
At the same time, concerns about life after retirement continue.
Kim Yeon-kyung's decision could have a huge impact on Korean volleyball. Report this page