It was a hot Friday night at Jangchung Gymnasium, the ‘Mecca of Volleyball’.
GS Caltex, led by head coach Cha Sang-hyun, held its Dodram 2023-24 V-League departure ceremony at its home Seoul Jangchung Gymnasium at 7 p.m. on the 13th. The entire roster and coaching staff were in attendance, with the exception of rookies Lee Yoon-shin and Yoo Garam, who were temporarily absent from the team due to their participation in the 104th National Sports Games. 온라인카지노 Ahn Hye-jin, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation, was also present.
300 fans made their way to Jangchung Gymnasium on a busy Friday night for GS Caltex’s send-off ceremony.
After introductions from the players and coaching staff, it was time to introduce the new players to GS Caltex. Veteran middle blocker Jung Dae-young, who returned to GS Caltex after nine years since the 2013-14 season, said, “I’m back after nine years. I hope you will continue to support GS Caltex in the future.”
Setter Kim Ji-woo and libero Kim Min-ji, both former members of Heungkuk Life, also took the time to prepare themselves in front of the fans. “I will do my best to stand out to the fans,” Kim said.
Afterward, the foreign players were introduced. GS Caltex chose Cuban apogee spiker Giselle Silva as their foreign player and Filipino setter Iris Tlenada as their Asian quarterback.
“I’m happy to be here at GS Caltex, and I’m grateful for all the support from the fans. I will give a strong performance,” while Silva said, “I will do my best to go to the top. We need your support. Please give us a lot of support for the season.”
Afterward, the captain and head coach Cha Sang-hyun greeted the fans. Last season’s captain, Han Su-ji, took over the baton from Kang So-hwi. The vice captain is Yoo Seo-yeon. Coach Cha Sang-hyun decided to change the atmosphere and transform the team into a young team.
Captain Kang So-hwi said, “This off-season felt especially long. Thank you for your patience.” “We set a high goal for this season. Advance to the championship. We will show you fun, exciting, and winning volleyball.”
Vice captain Yoo Seo-yeon said, “Like So-hwi, I felt the off-season was long, but I’m glad to see you like this.” “I’m also aiming to reach the championship, but for now, I’ll work hard so that I can go to spring volleyball,” she said.
Head coach Cha Sang-hyun said, “Unfortunately, we didn’t go to spring volleyball last season. I did a lot of off-season reflection. We made changes to the team and coaching staff.” “I’m looking forward to the season by producing good results in the cup competition. We worked hard to prepare. We will try to reward them with a good performance. I also hope it will be a season where we regain our relentless charm.”
Afterward, there was a brief 2023 Gumi Dodram Cup Pro Volleyball title ceremony and a small treat for fans who purchased memberships. The 15-point, two-set scrimmage was a practice match for the team. Kim Ji-won and Kang So-hwi, who had less time to play together due to their national team call-ups, focused on getting in sync with their teammates. The fans mixed and applauded each of their plays.
The Energy Girls performed, followed by a season wishing ceremony, group photos, and thank-you high-fives, and the two-hour departure ceremony came to a close.
Last season, GS Caltex failed to qualify for spring volleyball for the first time in five years, and the team is looking to redeem itself this season. GS Caltex will begin its six-month campaign against the Jungkwanjang Red Sparks at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on April 20.