Yeo Oh-hyeon (Hyundai Capital), a professional volleyball player, is still the best player to receive a spike serve in the V-League men’s division. He is forty-five this year. The oldest active player in the four major professional sports. But he has no intention of putting an end to it. Yeo Oh-hyun laughed, saying, “When the club suggests, ‘Let’s do it next season,’ I say, ‘Yes, I understand. Thank you,’ and I have to keep playing.”
Yeo Oh-hyun achieved his 600th personal career appearance in a home game against Woori Card in the 2022-23 Dodram V League held at Cheonan Yu Gwan-soon Gymnasium on the 21st. This is the first record in the V-League. After the second set, a commemorative event was held, and after the 3-0 victory, juniors were rinsed.
Yeo Oh-hyun said, “I was moved to tears when I saw my youthful appearance on the screen. I had a hard time holding back my tears. I received a rinse for the first time after starting volleyball. I refused to be rinsed by my juniors, but as expected, the MZ generation stands out.”
Yeohyeon’s height is 1m75cm. He is very small for a volleyball player. He was nicknamed ‘Super Peanut’ during his school days. However, Yeo Oh-hyun’s original position was an outside hitter (left), where height was important. Yeo Oh-hyun recalled, “I started working out by giving bread and milk to the newly formed volleyball club. From then on, I was short. My middle school coach recommended, ‘I don’t think I have a vision, so why don’t I play another sport?'”
Yeo Oh-hyun went to nearby schools to try out weightlifting, judo, and wrestling. He recalled, “I took several tests so that there were no regrets left, but it didn’t suit me. I told the coach, ‘I will continue playing volleyball'”.
His volleyball life reached a turning point in his sophomore year at Hongik University. The libero system, a defensive position, was introduced. Yeo Oh-hyun said, “If there was no libero system, I think I would have gone as a youth or elementary school volleyball team leader right after graduating from college. I was in a situation where I couldn’t go to the unemployment team with my height. Fortunately, the libero system came up at the right time and I joined the pros.” I looked back.
Yeo Oh-hyun, who joined Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in 2000 before his professional start, moved to Hyundai Capital in 2013. In 2016, Hyundai Capital launched the ‘Yeoohyeon 45-year-old Project’. Thanks to the club’s meticulous management, Yeo Oh-hyun is still playing as a player.
He said, “Seven years ago, coach Choi Tae-woong said, ‘I will help you, so let’s try it.’ Looking back now, it was a really ridiculous challenge.” said hello He laughed, saying, “After playing 600 games, I was bombarded with text messages from acquaintances. They asked me a lot, ‘Are you playing until you’re 50 now?’
Hyundai Capital’s main libero is Park Kyung-min. Yeo Oh-hyun takes a step back. Instead, he plays the role of changing the flow of the game by being brought in in critical situations. 스포츠토토
He said, “When I stepped down as a backup during the rebuilding process, at first I felt empty and lost my strength. There was no pleasure (in life as a player).” It’s a study. I can’t play like Kyung-min now. It’s fortunate if I can help the team a little bit when it’s difficult.”
Yeo Oh-hyeon, who has gone through all of the prenatal battles, aims to wear championship rings on all ten fingers. He has collected 9 rings, the most in the V-League to date. Hyundai Capital is competing for the lead with Korean Air. Yeo Oh-hyeon laughed, saying, “(Narrowing the 9-point gap until the 4th round), the team atmosphere is good, so I am greedy.
‘Volleyball Empress’ Kim Yeon-kyung (Heungkuk Life Insurance), while still boasting top-notch skills, confided that she was contemplating her retirement. Yeo Oh-hyun said, “Yeon-kyung has accomplished a lot. Each player may have a different idea of when to retire. Yeon-kyung seems to have many things to do externally. Like figure skater Yuna Kim, she will simply leave Korea and do more on the international stage. I think he is a capable player,” he said. He added, “I haven’t decided when I will retire yet. I will play passionately until the team needs it.”
Yeohyeon’s two sons are currently playing volleyball at Songsan High School and Songsan Middle School. Yeo Oh-hyun said, “At first, I was opposed to entering volleyball. Sometimes I ask the children, ‘Isn’t it difficult or regretful?’ I’m sorry” and hinted, “I advise you to receive 100 balls when others receive 10 balls.”
He said, “Volleyball is my everything. Compared to my prime, (my skills) have declined a lot, but I am running with a grateful heart every day.