Director Kang Sung-hyung of Hyundai Engineering & Construction is Sincere

The past two seasons have been "incomplete combustion" for Kang Sung-hyung (53), the head coach of Hyundai Engineering & Construction in the V League women's division. In the 2021-2022 season, his first season in office, he took an overwhelming lead with 27 wins and 3 losses and 80 points, setting the record for the most wins and most points in a single season. He achieved 10 consecutive wins in a single season for the first time in history, along with the record for the most consecutive wins (15 consecutive wins), but he had to settle for the "No. 1 regular league" rather than winning because the league ended early in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic. In the 2022-2023 season, he took the lead from the beginning,but ended the regular league in second place without continuing the momentum, and unfortunately ended the season by losing both games to Korea Expressway Corporation in the playoffs. Sports Toto

Veteran middle blocker  Yang Hyo-jin (34) and Libero Kim Yeon-kyeon (30) remain strong in the new season, while young guns such as setter Kim Da-in (25), middle blocker Lee Da-hyun (22), and outside heater (left) Jung Ji-yoon (22) are also growing. Coach Kang has a strong will to create a "dynasties" inside because the old and new harmony is the best in the women's V-League.

Big and small changes are noticeable in the squad ahead of the opening of the new season. Outside heater Hwang Min-kyung, who was qualified as a free agent, moved to IBK Industrial Bank and brought outside heater Kim Joo-hyang (24) as a compensator. In a free trade, he transfused Libero Ko Min-ji (25) from Jeonggwanjang (former Ginseng Corporation). In addition, all foreign players were selected as outside heaters. They are Yupawi Sithong (24, Thailand) and Moma (30, Cameroon) from GS Caltex. Analysts say that his overall performance is as good as that of the last two seasons.

Coach Kang, who met at the Hyundai Construction Volleyball Team Gymnasium in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, said, "I'm worried about a lot of injuries, but we have to play our own volleyball." We will strengthen our foundation so that we can steadily become a top-ranked team," he said emphatically.

How are you preparing for the season?

"There are a lot of injuries, and (Kim) Da-in, (Kim) Yeon-yeon, (Lee)Hyun Yi and Yu Pawi were selected for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, so there were virtually no main players. I thought overseas off-season training was meaningless. Instead of increasing the proportion of self-training, he played five practice matches with domestic professional teams. Thanks to this, I had a lot of time to check the skills of the rookies."

-I think you're worried because there's a lot of injuries.

"The difference between the 2021-2022 season and the 2022-2023 season was injuries. As a coach, it was an opportunity to rethink the pace control of the players. In fact, (the late) Yerim, (Kim) Sa-rang, (Jeong) Ji-yoon, etc. continue to be in bad condition. Among them, Yerim and Jiyoon will not be back until the second round, so Ju-hyang (Kim) should do her part. Personally, I have high expectations for Ji-yoon, but it is difficult to show my skills right away even if I return to the second round. The player should also be uninjured. It's a very unfortunate situation as a coach, but I hope he recovers steadily."

- What's your plan for this season?

"We prepared for the season without the players who were transferred to the national team, and there are many injured people who cannot play at the beginning of the season. To be cool-headed, compared to the last two seasons, this season's power has decreased slightly, so both worries and expectations coexist. The defense is very weak now, and the experience of young players is worse than that of previous veterans. Rather than overface, I think we should continue to play volleyball little by little. If you don't get too sagging in the early rounds, I expect that you can do more than spring volleyball."

-What did the past two seasons mean in the manager's life after Hyundai Engineering & Construction?

"It was a time to confirm both possibilities and limitations. In the first season, there were no injuries, and the team was able to take a leap forward as the serve, receiving figures, and blocking system improved. The players showed better teamwork than expected and won the KOVO Cup before the season, which worked out better than expected. However, last season, the opponent was strong and we were weak, and even injuries occurred, causing difficulties. In this season, he has to win in service and receiving battles with opponents. We emphasized this to the players because both of our receiving lines have changed."

- The impact of Yasmin (U.S.) was strong. I think there will be a lot of expectations for Moma.

Both Moma's performance and key figures over the past two seasons have been impeccable. If you think about it, the first season was better than last season. GS Caltex judged that Moma's pace also fell as its ranking fell last season. As it is not a matter of skill or health, if it is absorbed well into the atmosphere of our team, it is expected to play as well as in the first season. "I had good serve and jumping skills, and I was satisfied with the performance I showed in the practice game."

-I think there will be a lot of pressure to reach the top despite good performances.

"Our team has built up a strong team image for a long time, so players from outside quickly formed winning mentality. I think the fact that young players have stepped on the postseason stage even though they are low in age, and that they have experienced moments leading the league will be the driving force for us to continue to maintain the top ranks. Rather than talking about rising to the top, I would like to say that Hyundai Engineering & Construction will continue to play spring volleyball based on old and new harmony and make it a team that is always at the top. It's a scenario that's possible if we get results in the third season."