Among the new changes for GS Caltex is its middle blocker Seo Chae-won (21). After the 2023-2024 season, veteran middle blockers Jung Dae-young and Han Soo-ji, who served as pillars of the team, retired. Kang So-hwi, the main strikers, became free agents and moved to Korea Expressway Corporation, while Libero Han Da-hye also joined Pepper Savings Bank as a free agent. Seo Chae-won left Pepper Savings Bank as a compensation player for Han Da-hye's FA and moved to GS Caltex. She joined Pepper Savings Bank as the third-ranked player in the first round of the rookie draft of the 2021-2022 season, and moved to the team in three years. "Actually, I had a lot of difficulties in my previous team. That was a bit difficult," Seo said. "But I didn't feel sad about coming to GS Caltex." He doesn't care about his status as an FA compensation player. He is determined, thinking positively, "I think he brought me here because he wanted me. That's why I want to show myself and I think it will be a new opportunity." Lee Young-taek, the new coach, was a famous middle blocker when he was an active player. He clearly understands Seo's strengths and weaknesses and teaches us how to grow into a better player. Seo is absorbing Lee's teaching as it is. "The coach talked a lot about the importance of middle blockers, but he explains them in detail one by one," Seo said. "He told me that I have to move quickly because my height (181cm) is small for a middle blocker. I always think that I have to move as fast as the coach said," he said, adding, "He makes sure that I play my role and tells me that I will do better if I make up for my lack of blocking or aggression." Coach Avo Kiyoshi, who joined the team, is also teaching Seo Chae-won his know-how. "He speaks a lot of when to attack and when to swing, and emphasizes the blocking part. He also tells us that we need to put our arms in the timing of the fast attack and when to block." "I think I need to do a better job blocking like a middle blocker. I want to make sure that I don't make mistakes in second-stage connections, serve and so on. I think I need to move quickly even in attack and make the opponent suffer," he said, explaining his role in the team. His previous affiliation, Pepper Savings Bank, was a young team, but GS Caltex started to play in the midst of a generational change. He joined the team anew, but the atmosphere of the team is not unfamiliar. In the meantime, he continues to cheer up and communicate more. "We have to communicate more with each other because we are comprised of young players," Seo said. "If there are many young players, if one player makes a mistake and loses confidence, it seems to spread the disease quickly. The more I do that, the more I talk about communicating, encouraging and overcoming them. I'm doing my best, too." "The coach also doesn't like young players being discouraged at all, and he pursues to play what they want to play even if they make a mistake and make a bold mistake," he said. Seo Chae-won also said that GS Caltex is considered weak this season. However, he shook his head at the evaluation of their weak players during the off-season training in Japan. "I don't think we're that weak since we're practicing in Japan. I don't think we're that weak," he stressed. "I don't think there's a big difference in skills. I think it's influenced by the atmosphere. If you're in the mood, you can go higher," he stressed again. "I really want to do an interview with a trainee this season," he said shyly, revealing his personal goals. https://www.runarchery.kr/20/
