"Joined the team I coached for nine years": Manager Yoshihara's special Japan-Korea match, Heungkung Life prepares for a "second leap" without Kim Yeon-koung

*This content was translated by AI.

Heungkook Life Pink Spiders successfully concluded a joint training session with the Osaka Marvelous team from Japan's SV League.

Hankook Life Insurance announced on the 12th that it conducted a seven-day, six-night joint training session with the Osaka Marvelous team from Japan's SV League in Yongin and Suwon.

Marvelous participated with 12 players, including outfielders Hayashi Kotona, Tanaka Mizuki, and Fukumura Koyumi. From the 7th, they stayed at Yongin Heungkuk Life in Suwon, training and playing exhibition games alongside Heungkuk Life players.

The joint training was held to assess performance ahead of the 2026–2027 season and to continue exchanges between the two clubs. The teams practiced against each other’s distinct volleyball styles and tactics, sharpening their competitive readiness for the upcoming season.

It carries significance beyond a simple invitation of a foreign team. The predecessor of the Osaka Marvelous is the JT Marvelous, which was coached by Tomoko Yoshihara (55), the current Hana Life director, from 2015 to 2024 over nine seasons. Under Coach Yoshihara at JT, the team secured two league championships and three runner-up finishes. In her first season in charge during the 2015–2016 campaign, she led the team to promotion to the first division, and in her final season, 2023–2024, she achieved the remarkable feat of a perfect regular-season record.

Marvelous is not unfamiliar to Korean volleyball fans. There is a connection with 'Bae Gu (황제)' Kim Yeon-koung (38), who played for JT in a jersey from 2009 for two seasons and reached the top of the Japanese stage. Coincidentally, Coach Yoshihara took charge of Heungkuk Life immediately after Kim Yeon-koung left the court.

Despite facing difficult challenges from the very first season, Heungkuk Life did not crumble. In the 2025–2026 season, they recorded 19 wins and 17 losses, accumulating 57 points. Although their point total and number of wins were identical to those of GS Caltex, they finished fourth in the regular league due to a lower set ratio. Nevertheless, they succeeded in reaching the spring playoffs for the first season since Kim Yeon-koung's retirement.

In the first-ever women's playoff semifinals, the team concluded its season with a 1-3 series loss to GS Caltex. Notably, in the middle of the season, it joined the race for first place and received evaluations that Coach Yoshihara's unique organizational volleyball style had quickly taken root. Now, Coach Yoshihara is preparing for his second season. In this process, the opposing team chosen was his former team where he completed his volleyball philosophy, making this joint training session even more special.

Manager Yoshihara said, "Osaka Marvelous is a team with fast defense and strong organization, so it was a good opportunity for players preparing for the season. It was meaningful to verify what we had prepared in actual games and experience volleyball with different styles. We will address our shortcomings and prepare for the new season."

The opponent was not unfamiliar to the players. Both teams had already faced each other in August in Jeju. Kim Soo-ji said, "It wasn't long before we met again, and it was even more welcoming," adding, "There were many things we could learn from each other through training and games. After training ended, we also ate tteokbokki together, creating happy memories."

The team also created opportunities to connect with fans. Heungkuk Life Insurance invited Purple Membership members on the 12th for a 'PINK SPIDERS OPEN HOUSE' event for the 2025–2026 season. On the 12th, Purple Membership members toured the Suwon facilities, including the players' training areas and gymnasium, before watching a practice match against Osaka Marvelous. After the game, a fan signing session was held to allow direct interaction between the players and fans.

A representative of the Heungkuk Life Volleyball Team stated, "Based on our long-standing relationship with Osaka Marvelous, we were able to continue a meaningful exchange this year as well." They added, "Moving forward, we will not only enhance the team's performance through cooperation with overseas clubs but also prepare various programs that allow fans to feel closer to the team."

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*This content was translated by AI.