Kim Se-jin and Kwon Soon-chan Both Fall Short in 'Head Coach Return Matches'... Yet Each Voiced Their Own 'Hope' [Yeosu On-Site Report]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I am very excited. This has always been a position I wanted to return to."

One of the characteristics of this season's women's professional volleyball league is the 'returning head coaches.' Kim Se-jin (52) was appointed as the inaugural head coach of the newly established team SOOP Supers, taking the helm of a professional team for the first time in seven years. Kwon Soon-chan (51) took over as head coach of Cheongguanjang, returning to the front lines after three years and nine months.

Coincidentally, SOOP is a newly launched team that acquired Pepper Savings Bank, which finished sixth last season, while Cheongguanjang not only finished at the bottom last season but also underwent a head coach change due to an unfortunate incident. Coaches returning to the front lines after a long absence have been appointed to teams that each desperately need a turnaround.

However, in their 'official debut matches,' neither Kim Se-jin nor Kwon Soon-chan could smile. SOOP, led by Coach Kim, suffered a 0-3 shutout loss to IBK Industrial Bank of Korea in the opening match of the 2026 Yeosu·NH Nonghyup Cup Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Pro Volleyball Cup Tournament held on the 11th at Yeosu Jinnam Gymnasium. As Coach Kim had worried before the game, stating that "the technical aspects are a long way to go. We are starting from scratch, from the bottom," the team appeared overwhelmed throughout the match.

Nevertheless, after the game, Head Coach Kim Se-jin voiced 'hope.' He assessed, "Aside from being shaken when strong serves were hit, I think their understanding of side-outs and such has improved. Their defensive positioning and movements for cover plays seemed to come out as we had practiced." The fact that foreign player Odrina was absent also led to expectations that SOOP under the 'Kim Se-jin regime' could improve further in the future.

In the subsequent match, Cheongguanjang, led by Head Coach Kwon Soon-chan, suffered a 1-3 comeback loss to Heungkuk Life. They took the first set to build momentum but then lost three consecutive sets. In the fourth set, they reached the 24th-point mark first but failed to secure the final set point, allowing the game to go to deuce. Their concentration dropped at the crucial moment, and they ultimately had to swallow their disappointment.

However, the fact that they showed considerable resilience against Heungkuk Life in a match held just five days after Head Coach Kwon Soon-chan's appointment was significant. Coincidentally, Cheongguanjang also played this match with Bukirich absent from the lineup due to injury. Head Coach Kwon Soon-chan said, "Regardless of the win or loss, I feel the players' coordination is better than I had worried and they are very motivated. This is now the time for me and the players to adjust. My methods will be different (from before), but the players are trying hard to follow along. I am also looking forward to what comes next."

Of course, more time is needed. Head Coach Kwon Soon-chan said, "I think we will need another four to six months. It takes some time to completely change everything from offensive patterns to defensive patterns," while adding, "Since we have done things a certain way up until now, I want to keep the strengths as they are and start by changing the weaknesses." This reflects his determination to focus on current strengths while gradually instilling his own style of volleyball into the team.

On this day, Head Coach Kim Se-jin said, "The position of head coach is always heavy and burdensome," but added, "If it goes in the direction I have envisioned, there is no greater joy than that. It is about investing time to reach that direction." Kwon Soon-chan expressed his unique determination for a new start as a head coach, saying, "I am very excited. This has always been a position I wanted to return to. I am grateful." The journey of teams desperately needing a turnaround and coaches returning to the front lines after a long absence has officially begun.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original