“I am excited now. I was always waiting for competition.”
Pepper Savings Bank issued a press release on the 17th. At the beginning of the season, a new captain came to them, who said goodbye to coach Kim Hyung-sil, who was the first coach, and was playing the season under the system of acting manager Lee Kyung-soo. Aachen Kim (38), whose name is somewhat unfamiliar to Korean volleyball fans, is the coach of Brown University’s volleyball team.
Director Aachen Kim was born in 1985 and graduated from Franklin and Marshall University.
In 2013, while coaching the American University volleyball team, from 2013 to 2017, he won the Patriot League, which also belonged to Division I, advanced to the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive years, and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16.
In 2018, he took on his first head coaching job at Brown University. Through recruiting prospects, nurturing individual players, and executing detailed tactics, he achieved the feat of advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Brown University history by placing the team at the top of the Ivy League in 2021, three years after taking office.
In particular, in 2021, he was selected as the ‘Ivy League Manager of the Year’. Five players under his guidance at the time won the ‘Best Defense Award’ and ‘Best Rookie Award’. It was the first time in Ivy League history that five Brown University players were named to the “Ivy League First Team” at the same time while leading the team. He showed an excellent aspect in developing players.
Pepper Savings Bank said, “He is a leader with experience in taking the team to the top of the league. I expect to lead and grow the team by adding strength and vitality to Pepper Savings Bank, which is composed of young players.”
The appointment of coach Aachen Kim is giving a fresh shock to the Korean volleyball world. Compared to coach Marcello Abondanza, who took the baton of Heungkuk Life Insurance, the name value is inferior, but many people have high expectations of how the leadership career built up in the United States, a world volleyball powerhouse, will shine in the V-League.
MK Sports conducted a written interview with Aachen Kim. Coach Aachen Kim is currently in the US and is expected to return to Korea in early or mid-March.
Director Aachen Kim said, “I am very excited. I’ve always been waiting for competition, and I like challenges. Pepper Savings Bank is a team full of potential,” he said. “I have a lot of work to do here. Pepe Savings Bank is a team that has to work hard to find a way. But I have experience in fostering, so I know I can help a lot here.”
He has continued his leadership career only in the NCAA. It is his first professional league experience in Korea. Although Korean blood flows, the V-League is an unfamiliar place to Aachen Kim. What is the reason why manager Aachen Kim joined hands with the V-League and Pepper Savings Bank, the youngest club in the V-League?
Coach Aachen Kim said, “Pepper Savings Bank is a team that receives a lot of support from the club. The owner is a great leader and he has an amazing vision for how the team should be built. When I made the decision to leave the NCAA, I wanted my next destination to be somewhere where I could leave a mark. I will do my best to create something new and unique here.”
He continued, “Volleyball is one of the popular sports in the United States, but there is no professional league system yet. But hasn’t Korea maintained a pro league system for a long time? I feel honored to be part of the V-League.”
It is true that he lacks knowledge and information about the V-League compared to other coaches. But it’s not something I don’t know at all. I know the flow of the V-League, and I know exactly the information of foreign players who graduated from college in the United States.
Coach Aachen Kim said, “Kim Yeon-kyung is a world-famous volleyball player as well as the V-League, and his performance is also impressive. We also know that Catherine Bell (registered name Catbell) recently returned to the V-League. She thinks Catbell is having a good influence on Korea Expressway Corporation. In our team, Nia Ridna and Lee Han-bi stand out.” 메이저사이트
Pepper Savings Bank is in its second season. They are not yet strong in the V-League. Of course, we are recording 4 wins over the 3 wins we recorded last season, but the road to go is long and rough. Expectations for victory have increased compared to last season, but it is true that they are still behind in objective power.
Coach Aachen Kim also said, “Pepper Savings Bank is showing amazing passion in defense. Nia Reid also scores when given the opportunity, and Oh Ji-young has a big impact on the defense as soon as he comes to the team.” We need to focus on building a stable defensive system, preventing the opponent from scoring and creating opportunities for our counterattack.”
Coach Aachen Kim starts his first full-scale voyage with Pepper Savings Bank from the 2023-24 season. What kind of picture would he like to draw at Pepper Savings Bank?
Director Aachen Kim said, “I want to be a good teacher. This team is young, but it is true that they are not yet confident in winning. “It takes a mentor to change the team culture. The change in the team has to start with me, but I’ve already had a similar experience, so there’s no problem. I am confident,” he showed confidence.