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(Asian Games) Volleyball coach hopes players have learned from past loss

All News 20:00 August 17, 2018

By Yoo Jee-ho

JAKARTA, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- Video analysis is a tried and tested method for sports teams and athletes preparing for matches. But videos can also be a motivational tool. When teams are mired in a losing skid, coaches may show their players clips of past victories, if only to make them feel good about themselves.

Cha Hae-won, head coach of the South Korean women's volleyball team, went the opposite route when he was preparing for this year's Asian Games in Indonesia.

He showed his players the video of South Korea's 3-0 loss to Japan on June 6, during the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League. It was a deflating loss for a team looking to win its second straight gold medal at the Asian Games this month, with Japan, world. No. 6, and the top-ranked China ready to foil that bid.

Before South Korea's practice at GBK Sports Complex in Jakarta on Friday, Cha said the mood was "solemn" during that particular video session.

"It's upsetting for players to go back and watch losses," he said. "But I am sure they all realized what they had to do to get better."

In this file photo from May 24, 2018, Cha Hae-won, head coach of the South Korean women's volleyball team, directs his players during a FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League match against Italy at Suwon Gymnasium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

In this file photo from May 24, 2018, Cha Hae-won, head coach of the South Korean women's volleyball team, directs his players during a FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League match against Italy at Suwon Gymnasium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Led by world-class attacker Kim Yeon-koung, South Korea, world No. 10, should remain a force at the Asian Games. But Japan has already proven it can handle South Korea. And China will bring back key members of its 2016 Olympic gold medal team, including Zhu Ting, the MVP of that Olympic tournament, and other veterans Ding Xia and Liu Xiaotong.

South Korea upset China 3-0 during the Nations League on May 17, but China was without Zhu at the time. With the outside hitter back in the lineup, China went on to finish third overall in the tournament with a 3-0 win over Brazil in the third place match.

South Korea is in the same preliminary group as China and will likely run into Japan at some point in the knockout stage.

Cha said the team's primary goal is to avenge the Nations League loss to Japan.

"We'd love to beat Japan this time and play a tighter game than the one we played in that defeat," the coach said. "Then hopefully, we'll be playing in the last game of the competition. Once you get there, then you just have to try to execute your game plan and see what happens."

At the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, South Korea defeated China for gold, while Thailand toppled Japan for bronze, its first medal in Asiad volleyball, men's or women's.

Cha said those four countries will once again contend for the three podium spots, and since all four will have their "A" teams, it should make for an exciting competition.

"I know we could run into any of those countries, and I believe we won't back down easily against anybody," the coach said.

South Korea is in Pool B with China, Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, Vietnam and India. There are five countries in Pool A: Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The top four from each of the groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

South Korea's first preliminary match is against India on Sunday.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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