"You must watch Japanese volleyball and learn for yourselves": What is the 'visual volleyball' that Coach Shin Young-cheol emphasized... OK Savings Bank lines up new setter-foreign player combination

*This content was translated by AI.

The OK Savings Bank Eummen men's professional volleyball team has begun fine-tuning preparations for the new season by directly experiencing Japan's fast and precise style of play.

Led by Head Coach Shin Young-cheol (62), OK Savings Bank arrived in Hiroshima, Japan, on the 28th of last month and is continuing practice matches against Hiroshima Thunder of Japan's SV League. The team played two competitive matches on the 29th and 30th of last month, and will play two more matches on the 2nd and 3rd as it prepares for the upcoming KOVO Cup and the 2026-2027 V-League season.

The part Coach Shin particularly emphasized in this training camp is ball-handling skills and decision-making based on game situations. He said, "Because our setter is young, I want him to directly observe and learn from the speed of Japanese volleyball and the players' ball control abilities." He added, "There are differences in control ability and methods for attacking opponents even in serving. It is important that our players feel and understand for themselves by watching how Japanese players handle the ball."

OK Savings Bank also faces the task of shaking off the disappointments of last season. After finishing at the bottom of the standings in the 2024-2025 season, OK Savings Bank entrusted the helm to Head Coach Shin Young-cheol and recorded a 17-win, 19-loss record with 50 points to finish sixth last season. Although their ranking was in the lower tier, they showed potential for improvement by continuing to compete for spring volleyball until the end of the season. In particular, in their first season after relocating to Busan, they displayed strong form at home with a 13-win, 5-loss record. They also achieved commercial success with a total attendance of 60,017 across 18 home games and an average of 3,334 spectators per game.

Significant changes have also occurred in the team's strength for the new season. They acquired Kyle Russell (33) with the first overall pick in the foreign player draft. Russell previously experienced the V-League with KEPCO, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, and Korean Air, and is noted for his strong serve, height, and ability to handle difficult balls. As an Asian quota player, they also signed 200cm tall middle blocker Mehran Peyjehamdoost (25, registered name: Peys).

Kim Dae-hwan (21) has newly joined the setter position. Kim Dae-hwan, a 190cm tall setter, debuted in the professional league with Woori Card, then went through Sungkyunkwan University before throwing down the gauntlet to return to the V-League. He is evaluated for his strengths in stable tosses, diverse offensive setups, and blocking utilizing height.

Therefore, Coach Shin is paying special attention to the chemistry between Kim Dae-hwan and the attackers during this Japan training camp. Coach Shin explained, "One of the important points right now is Kim Dae-hwan. I hope this training camp becomes an opportunity for him to grow as a setter to the next level."

He added, "Chemistry is not something a setter adjusts alone. Attackers must also prepare according to the quality of the setter's toss. In particular, foreign player Russell, who has to handle many attacks, and Dae-hwan are continuously communicating to understand each other's characteristics and adjust."

He emphasized, "If we build trust and adjust through this training camp, practice matches in Korea, and the KOVO Cup, we will be able to show even better chemistry than now in the regular season."

Maximizing the strengths of the newly joined foreign players is also a task. For new Asian quota player Peys, they are requesting more diverse roles in serving. Coach Shin stated, "Peys shows an effort to execute what he is asked to do." He continued, "It is important to reduce errors while utilizing both purposeful serves and powerful serves. We place great importance on the significance of serving this season, so we are preparing for him to utilize a wider variety of serves."

Regarding Russell, he said, "We have not had much time to adjust with the setter yet, so we are continuously working on our chemistry." He added, "He has the clear strength of his serve, and we are having many conversations to align in the direction we want regarding handling high balls, attacking, and blocking."

Another keyword Coach Shin emphasized during this training camp is 'visual volleyball.' He firmly stated, "Players must look at their own data and records and directly check their play through video. It is different from what a coach says and what a player sees and feels for themselves. If we train through such a process, it will get better as we move into the regular season."

The goal is not just to handle the ball accurately, but to play volleyball that anticipates the next situation. Coach Shin said, "Not only must players handle the ball accurately, they must be aware of what kind of play develops afterward." He raised his voice, adding, "We are continuously building this aspect through this training camp. In particular, I want the players to feel the importance of the connection between the first and second touches."

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*This content was translated by AI.