For her, playing for one of the best clubs in the world is an honour and it is a privilege to play with the some of the brightest stars in the game.
“Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul is a very strong team with a rich, long history. I’m honoured to be part of the team. We have many national team members from different countries as well as many talented Turkish players. I find great happiness in learning and spending time with them. The players have good personalities so we get along well.”
Kim’s determination has helped her win many titles at a club level, but she wants her horizons to expand with the national team and the Olympic Games and world level events ahead.
“Every year I set up goals and commit to achieve them. During practice, I think about these goals and commit myself to push and work harder.
“I’ve accomplished many things at the club level. All the teams that I played for were at the top of the rankings and have won many cups. However, I’m not yet satisfied with results as a national team member. So my primary goal is to obtain the golden ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and my ultimate goal is to acquire an Olympic medal there.
“When you are in the national team, it’s really important to recover quickly since you play in a shorter period of time and play many games in many countries. In the club, however, the most critical thing that you need to possess is physical strength since the season can be very long. That is why I make a huge effort in the preparation process during the off-season.”
She still finds time from her busy schedule to help in youth sports development through her academy and her charity activities.
“I am currently running a sports youth academy in Korea. Many children of different ages attend the academy and participate in volleyball, football, basketball and other sports activities. The reason why I established the academy was because I wanted to give back all the goodness that volleyball has given me. As time went by, I realised the importance of youth sports, since children who participate in sports activities become more sociable and healthy individuals.
“I also hosted the first youth volleyball competition under my name in 2017. In addition to that, I run a small charity which I’m planning to expand in the future. I’m always open to new opportunities!”
This article is based on an interview first published in April.
Source: Volley - fivb.org
