‘2G 12 Blocking’ Kim Soo-ji, in her mid-30s, her prime

match on the 6th and the GS Caltex match on the 11th. Due to the nature of volleyball, which requires a lot of jumping and flying, the number of injured parts inevitably increases as one gets older. Therefore, both male and female players in their mid and late 20s are often in their prime as athletes, demonstrating their best physical condition and athletic abilities.

However, ‘experience’ is just as important as physical condition in sports, and as a rule, experience can only be accumulated by playing many games over a long period of time. And players who show off their accumulated experiences on the court often reach their prime at a slightly later age.

Kim Su-ji, the eldest sister of IBK Industrial Bank Altos, who jumped to second place alone in the blocking category (0.78 per set) by catching as many as 12 blocks in the last two games, is a representative player who belatedly reached his prime. 

Kim Su-ji, who went to elementary, middle and high school together with ‘Volleyball Empress’ Kim Yeon-kyung (Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders), was nominated by Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate as the third overall pick in the 2005-2006 season rookie draft. At the time, Hyundai E&C was not suitable for a partner for Jeong Dae-young (Korea Expressway Corporation High Pass) due to Jang So-yeon (SBS sports commentator)’s early retirement, and Kim Su-ji played an active role as Hyundai E&C’s main middle blocker from her second professional season.

However, Kim Su-ji during her time at Hyundai E&C was not a player with perfect skills like she is now. In particular, although he has a good height of 188cm, he has a weakness in matching the blocking timing, so he was pushed out by Jung Dae-young in the early days of joining and Yang Hyo-jin from the 2007-2008 season, so he did not stand out much in the blocking field. Even in the 2010-2011 season, when Hyundai E&C won the championship, Suji Kim’s blocking was only 0.29 per set (11th place).

However, Kim Su-ji’s skills as a middle blocker slowly began to shine after transferring to Heungkuk Life Insurance in 2014. During his active career, Kim Su-ji received guidance from coach Mi-hee Park (KBS N sports commentator), who freely moved between the wings and the center despite his not-so-tall height of 174 cm, and his blocking ability improved significantly. In fact, Kim Soo-ji’s blocking, which was 0.37 per set in the 21013-2014 season during the Hyundai E&C period, increased significantly to 0.64 per set in the 2016-2017 season, the third season of Heungkuk Life Insurance transfer.

Abundant international competition experience also greatly helped Kim improve her skills. When Chung Dae-young, who had been in the center of the national team along with Yang Hyo-jin, retired from the national team after the 2012 London Olympics, Kim Su-ji, who had the height to compete in international competitions, was chosen as Yang Hyo-jin’s new partner. Kim Su-ji, who has experienced many international competitions as the national team’s main middle blocker, was able to learn how to set the blocking timing against tall strikers. 토토사이트

Suji Kim scored the most 300 points since her debut with an attack success rate of 42.54% in the 2016-2017 season, and ranked 4th in blocking (0.64 per set), 1st in fast attack (56.03%), and 3rd in mobile attack (51.03), leading Heungkuk Life Insurance. He contributed greatly to winning the regular season. After the season, Suji Kim was selected as one of the best 7 middle blockers along with Yang Hyo-jin, the undisputed best middle blocker in the V-League. For Kim Su-ji, it was the first honor he had earned after 12 years of his professional debut.

After the 2016-2017 season, Kim Su-ji, who obtained FA status again, transferred to Industrial Bank of Korea with an annual salary of 270 million won. However, IBK, where the local geopo Park Jeong-ah (highway construction) left the team, was not as strong as when it won the championship three times in six seasons after its foundation, and Kim Su-ji also failed to show her performance during the Heungkuk Life Insurance days. However, it is clear that Kim Hee-jin moved to the center and right a little more freely because Kim Su-ji was firmly guarding the center.

From the 2017-2018 season, IBK changed the team’s main setter very often to Yeom Hye-seon (KGC Ginseng Corporation), Lee Go-eun (Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers), Lee Na-yeon (Hyundai E&C), Cho Song-hwa, and Kim Ha-kyung. Unlike outside hitters and apologetic spikers who can attack when a toss of appropriate height and speed arrives, middle blockers have no choice but to significantly reduce their offensive power if they do not match with the setter. It means that the frequent setter replacement of Industrial Bank of Korea was also a factor in Kim Su-ji’s ups and downs.

However, IBK has setter Kim Ha-kyung as a regular starter since manager Kim Ho-cheol took office in the middle of last season, and this season, Kim Ha-kyung is playing the season as setter. And the stability of the setter is leading to the improvement of the performance of IBK’s middle blockers, including Kim Su-ji. Coach Ho-chul Kim is competing with Hyun-jung Kim and Jung-min Choi for one spot as a middle blocker, but he is appointing the eldest sister Kim Su-ji as a built-in for the other spot.

And Kim Su-ji is leading the rising trend of IBK, showing off her skills that have gradually increased as the season goes on. Suji Kim, who scored 15 points, the most in the team, including 6 blocks in the last game of the 2nd round against Ginseng Corporation on the 6th, also recorded 6 blocks in the first game of the 3rd round against GS Caltex KIXX on the 11th, leading the Industrial Bank of Korea. led to a full set victory. Suji Kim, who recorded 12 blocks in the last two games, jumped to second place alone in the blocking category (0.78 per set).

Industrial Bank of Korea, which fell to the bottom with 2 wins and 6 losses in 8 games after the season opened, has risen to 4th place with a steep rise to 4 wins in the last 5 games. Although the difference in points with 5th place GS Caltex is only 1 point, the difference in points with 3rd place Highway Corporation is only 3 points, so it is possible to aim for entry into the middle and upper ranks. And if Kim Soo-ji, who was in her prime at the age of mid-30s, continues to play an active role, the rise of IBK is expected to continue for a longer time.