The need for veterans in sports is constantly emphasized. Veterans who have gone through prenatal battles have a considerable influence, such as holding the center when the team is in crisis. As a mentor for young players, he often serves as a guide.

Even in professional volleyball this season, the veteran’s performance stands out. Players who have entered a high age gap are giving great strength to their team’s battle for rankings, showing as much activity as they did in their heyday.

The player who caught the eye the most was Hwang Yeon-joo (36) of Hyundai E&C. Entering the V-League with the second overall pick in the 2005 rookie draft, he swept the regular league and championship MVP in the 2010-2011 season. However, as I got older, I spent more time waiting in the warm-up zone.

Then, this season’s ‘second heyday’ came to him. 스포츠토토 When foreign player Yasmin was injured in December last year, Hwang Yeon-joo began to fill the vacancy. Immediately after Yasmin’s injury, Hwang Yeon-ju performed more than expected by scoring double-digit points in a row in 9 games. Thanks to this, Hyundai E&C maintained its leading position with a record of 7 wins and 4 losses even without Yasmin. Hwang Yeon-ju, who was called ‘flower deer’ in his heyday, even got a new nickname from fans, ‘antler’.

Managers and players also praised Hwang Yeon-joo. Hyundai Engineering & Construction manager Kang Seong-hyung said, “Thank you and sorry” whenever a question about Hwang Yeon-joo continued, and captain Hwang Min-gyeong, after ending a losing streak against GS Caltex on the 2nd, said, “(Hwang) Yeon-joo is so good, so it’s okay without a foreigner.” I even trembled.