grapplegraphics.com Can Vanya Vukiric, 24, end the “foreigner atrocity” in women’s volleyball at Korea Expressway Corporation?
“I try to score a lot of points in every game, and I hope we win a lot of games and make it to the championship,” Vukiric said at a hotel in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan, on Wednesday, adding, “I think I’m about 70 percent integrated into the team. We can’t be satisfied because we need to be 100%. We will get better and better as time goes on.”
온라인바카라Last season’s champions, Korea Expressway Corporation, selected Burkiric with the seventh overall pick in the foreign player draft held in May. At the time, head coach Kim Jong-min said, “We took a longer view than offense. I chose him because I think he has a high potential to grow until the next season, not just the next season.”
This is Vukiric’s first professional challenge. It’s only been a month since he joined the Korea Expressway Corporation. That’s why coach Kim Jong-min looked at Vukiric from a future perspective rather than the present. There was a sense of ‘don’t get your hopes up’ within the team, as the first foreign players selected in the draft have been somewhat underwhelming.
However, Vukiric has quickly raised expectations in his short time with the team. For starters, personality is a strength. His teammates praise his proactivity and adaptability. He is noticeably more responsible than the average foreign player. “I’m a positive person, I try to be positive,” Vukiric said, “I’m naturally energetic, and I adapt well wherever I go.”
His jovial personality has also been on display during training camp. Vukiric introduced herself in Korean at a dinner with the Toray team on Aug. 30, drawing laughter and applause. She said she is studying with setter Lee Yoon-jung, 26, by sharing one Korean-English word each day. “I’m optimistic and smart,” she laughed, adding, “I usually joke a lot, but it’s a shame that I can’t do that much because I have language problems.”
When asked, “When you look two or three years down the road, doesn’t that mean you don’t have as many expectations in the first year?” Vukiric replied, “It’s good to have no pressure.” “I think in two or three years, of course, I have to be better than I am now. When asked about the possibility of playing outside hitter, he said, “I’m more used to being an outside hitter, but there’s no pressure on either of them.” He added, “I think I’ll be better in two or three years.
“My volleyball skills are coming along faster than I expected. They are still in the process of adjusting, so there are some overlaps and mistakes, but their willingness to learn and sense of responsibility are helping them grow quickly. “He has the mindset that he can take care of himself whether the other player makes a mistake or he makes a mistake,” said coach Kim Jong-min. “His willingness to learn is good and his adaptability is very fast.”
Vukiric, who graduated from Ohio State University (bachelor’s degree) and studied at North Carolina State University (master’s degree) in the United States with a major in urban engineering, said that the thinking skills he developed through his university studies “help me in volleyball.” “When I attack, I make a plan A, B, and C and think about options,” he said. “I think about the plan before the ball comes over, and if the ball comes well, I execute A, and if not, I use options B and C.”
Watching Korea, Vukiric said, “It was both an opportunity and a worry because their fast volleyball will be a challenge for me.” How will he fare this season?