“I want to play volleyball even if I’m reborn again.”

One-time V-League MVP Jung Dae-young (GS Caltex) hangs up his jersey. Jung has left as much history on the court as she has in her long career. She has won championships with every team she has played for, and in 2012, she was part of the London Olympic quarterfinals. In the V-League, she scored 5,653 points (4th all-time) and blocked 1,228 shots (2nd all-time).

Chung was already a promising prospect during her time at the Yangbaek Women’s Academy (closed in 2006). In her third year of high school, she led South Korea to a third-place finish at the 1999 World Youth Volleyball Championship, 메이저 토토사이트 where she was so impressive that Hyundai E&C offered her a contract that same year.

Upon joining the team, Chung quickly became the team’s starting middle blocker with a performance that belied his rookie status. At 185 centimeters tall, he was one of the tallest players in the league, and his ability to block, serve, receive, and even attack from the back row made him an “all-around player” from the start.

With top prospect Jung Dae-young on their side, Hyundai E&C immediately became the ‘strongest’ team in the women’s division. In 2000, the team won the Super League (predecessor to the V-League) title, knocking off LG Jeongyu (now GS Caltex), which was seeking its 10th consecutive title.

“I started playing at a very early age,” Jung said. I wasn’t particularly talented, but my older sisters quit volleyball early, so I quickly established myself in the team. So I always had the responsibility of being a starter and a senior, and I think that had a good effect on me. It naturally pushed me to practice more and made me grow,” she recalls.

In 2007, when the free agency system was first introduced, Jung signed with GS Caltex and became the first player in Korean women’s volleyball history to sign an all-time contract. It was well worth the money. She led GS Caltex to the 2007-08 championship after a long period of stagnation. He was also named MVP of the championship.

“I signed a contract with GS Caltex under good terms in the first year of the free agency system,” says Jung. After the transfer, the club president said, ‘We tried our best to bring you here,’ so I honestly felt a little pressure. (Laughs) I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to pay the money because I was a high salary, but fortunately, I won the championship,” she laughs.

Jung also became the first female volleyball player to take maternity leave. She took a break from volleyball to give birth to her daughter, Kim Bo-min, in the 2009-10 season.

“When I signed with GS Caltex, I got married and switched teams, and at that time, most people retired at the age of 28, so I had already planned to have a baby, so when I signed the contract, I told the club, ‘I’ll retire after two years. Then they told me to come back after I had the baby. I said yes, but I didn’t really think it would happen. But the club actually contacted me first after I gave birth, saying, ‘How are you feeling, you can come back after having a baby,'” she said. “I hope I set a good example. I want my juniors to play for a long time,” he added.

In 2014, Chung switched to a road construction uniform. With his arrival, the team quickly “high-passed” the championship. From fourth place in the previous season to first place in the 2014-15 regular season, the team won its first title since its inception in 2017-18, and Jung led the team to the championship once again in 2022-23 at the ripe old age of 65 before returning to his hometown team GS Caltex in 2023.

“It was an honor to be a part of the team’s first overall title at Roadworks. Winning the championship in 2022-23 will be especially memorable. It was a physically demanding season, but I think it ended well.”

After the 2023-24 season, Jung ended her long career. She couldn’t turn her back on her daughter, who wanted to spend more time with her mom.

“During the season, I would be away from home for a month at a time, but one day my daughter told me that she wished she could see her mom at home more often. “I had vaguely thought, ‘I’ll retire someday,’ but that solidified my decision,” she said, adding, “I have no regrets. I tried my best not to regret every moment of my life, and volleyball has made me so happy. I want to play volleyball even if I am reborn again.”

During her playing days, Jung was also known as the ‘King of Steel’. She never got injured.

“I’m scheduled for knee surgery next month. When I was a player, my left knee hurt, but when I did a medical check after retiring, my right knee was worse. I think it’s because I focused on the left side. After the surgery, it’s a ‘forced rest’. I was told I had to spend six months rehabilitating. I’m going to spend a lot of time at home with my daughter.”

Jung is an original member of the V-League. It’s been a 25-year journey, including her unemployed volleyball days.

“I’ve been playing nonstop for more than 20 years. Now that I’m retired, I’m going to give myself a break for a while to recover from surgery. I’m happy to have more time with my family these days. I haven’t really thought about it (future plans) yet, but my daughter plays volleyball in middle school and I’m leaning towards coaching, but I’m not sure. I’ll definitely let you know when I decide (laughs).”

Jung’s daughter, Kim Bo-min, is playing at Jecheon Girls’ Middle School, hoping to become a great player like her mom.

“When she was younger, she used to get nervous on the court. When I asked her, she seemed to be nervous about having a professional volleyball mom. Fortunately, as she grew up, she developed a bright and positive personality, and now she’s much better.” “I know there’s no pressure, but I hope she will always be happy and full of joyful moments playing volleyball like she is now. Whether she plays well or not, she is my beloved daughter,” he said.

“Many people say that her body type is similar to mine. As a former professional, I can see that she has a good physical condition and a lot of power. I’m sure she’ll be a good player,” he said, adding that he was proud of his daughter.