메이저놀이터 The first step of change has been taken.

GS Caltex coach Cha Sang-hyun selected Gisele Silva (Cuba), a 191cm apogee spike, at the 2023 Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) women’s foreign player draft held in Istanbul, Turkey on the 13th (Korean time).

MoMA Vasco Letizia (Cameroon), who has been together for the past two seasons, challenged the V-League once again, and was able to exercise the right to be nominated first, but GS Caltex gave up on renewing the contract with MoMA.

The skills have already been verified. He wore a GS Caltex uniform for the 2021-2022 season. In his first season, he played in 31 matches and 107 sets, and was very active with 1st place in scoring (819 points), 1st place in attack (47.30% success rate), and 2nd place in serve (0.411 per set). His last season was also unchanged. While playing 134 sets in 35 games, he ranked first in all attack indicators, including 1st in scoring (879 points), 2nd in attack (43.68% success rate), and 3rd in serve (0.246 per set).

In fact, when MoMA challenged this tryout, there were not a few clubs who coveted him. Other teams were keenly aware of whether or not to renew the contract with the previous team. It was because he didn’t need much of his offense, as well as adapting to his 3rd year in Korea.

In such a situation, GS Caltex chose ‘change’. GS Caltex was ranked 5th last season. Although he has been a regular customer of spring volleyball for the last 5 seasons, he has been in the lower ranks for the first time in 6 seasons since the 2016-2017 season. Despite a good start by winning the KOVO Cup last year, the finish was not good. Director Cha thought that a ‘change’ was needed at this point.

Director Cha said, “After two seasons with MoMA, the team needed a change. After repeating the same volleyball, the opponent analysis is over.” It’s not that MoMA couldn’t do it, but I definitely needed a change.”

Giving up MoMA is also the same. Although she has good offensive power, Moma, who is relatively short among outsiders at 184cm, struggled when facing a team with high blocking. As Director Cha often said, ‘Height is an unavoidable part’, the weakness was clear.

Now he stands on the starting line of change. GS Caltex recruited ‘veteran’ middle blocker Jung Dae-young in the FA (free agent) market last year. The center was considered a weakness, but with the recruitment of Jung Dae-young, he succeeded in reinforcing the ‘height’. In the Asian Quarter, Medy Yoku (Indonesia), who is said to have good basic skills, and Silva, a new outsider, joined, allowing them to solidify a new team color.

After calling Silva, coach Cha said, “It’s a relief from the team’s point of view that I was able to pick the player I wanted.” He also ranked first in the region in the Greek League and judged that he could be better overall in all areas. He has a lot of overseas experience, and there was no reason not to choose.”