“Senior Soyoung told me, ‘You are my rookie king.’”
KGC Ginseng Corporation Park Eun-ji (19) has been evaluated as a promising setter since her days at Ilshin Girls’ Middle School and Ilshin Girls’ High School. Seeing him with a bold personality along with a stable toss, Ko Hee-jin, director of KGC Ginseng Corporation, put Park Eun-ji in as the starting setter for the 5th set against IBK Industrial Bank of Korea before the opening.
He showed a bouncy performance with Choi Hyo-seo at the beginning of the season, but after that, the ups and downs were severe. After that, the number of match-set appearances gradually began to decrease, and in the second half of the season, it was a great reflection of the one-point server.
Park Eun-ji, who scored 11 points in 26 games and 67 sets this season and averaged 1.851 per set, was nominated for the rookie of the year along with her comrade Choi Hyo-seo. However, he had to hand over the rookie of the year to Choi Hyo-seo, who won 17 votes, while only getting 8 out of 31 votes from the reporters.
Park Eun-ji, whom we met at the KGC Ginseng Corporation practice gym in Daejeon on the 1st, said, “It’s okay now. It was unfortunate, but I was lacking. Soyoung unnie said to me, ‘You are my newcomer king’” and laughed. “His debut season was a disappointment itself. I had to consistently show a better image like in the beginning, but it faltered from the middle. It’s too bad. I don’t think I was able to help the team.”
Unlike the beginning of the season, it was not easy to see Park Eun-ji on the court from the middle.
He said, “I tried not to be stressed and overcome it, but I think I was lacking. I think I was intimidated because it was getting worse. Next season, I want to show more stability in the toss.”
After the regular season, he was given a five-week vacation. He had time to recharge after going on a trip to Jeju and Gangneung, Gangwon-do.메이저놀이터
He said, “I went to Jeju Island with (Kim) Ji-won at GS Caltex. I went to Gangneung alone. I was frustrated and suddenly wanted to see the sea. As the day of my comeback approached, my heart was beating fast (laughs). I wanted to go get some fresh air by myself,” he said.
“Now, after returning from vacation, I am doing basic exercises. It’s hard to do both in the morning and in the afternoon. Weight training is especially difficult,” he laughed.
This is his first off-season since his professional debut. This is the time to learn a lot from coach Lee Sook-ja, a former master setter.
Park Eun-ji also said, “I think it will be very difficult. I came in with so much determination. Strong training hasn’t started yet, but he always told me to prepare well.”
Finally, Park Eun-ji said, “As a setter, you just have to do the toss well, so I want to do the toss better. Next season, I want to get a lot of opportunities and stay on the court for a long time.”