Second-year professional middle blocker Lim Hye-rim (19-184 cm) has found a new home with IBK ahead of the new season. The move comes one year after leaving Heungkuk Saengsim, where she spent her rookie season.
On April 26, Lim was signed by IBK as a compensation player for Kim Soo-ji, who moved to Heungkuk Life via free agency. “We selected Lim to secure a future resource with great height, excellent jumping power, and strong offense,” IBK said in a statement.스포츠토토
Lim joined Heungkuk Life as the second overall pick in the first round of the 2022-2023 rookie draft. In her first season, she played 18 games and 30 sets, scoring 18 points, attacking at a 38.89% clip, and blocking 0.200 per set.
Just as she was settling into her rookie season, her uniform changed from pink to blue. CBS Nocturnal News met with Lim Hye-rim on the 8th at the Kookmin Bank Gymnasium in Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do.
“I think it went by in a blur,” Lim said of last season. “It was a completely different stage from high school, so I was very nervous. I think I didn’t adapt perfectly, so I showed a lackluster performance,” she said, adding, “I want to work harder next season and show a good performance.”
Im Hye-rim, who was drafted by Heungkuk Saengsaeng at the time of the rookie draft, was happy to be in the same room as the ‘volleyball queen’ Kim Yeon-kyung, 35. “It was a great time,” she said, “I was able to see how she trains and plays volleyball right next to me.” “I learned a lot and she taught me a lot, so it was a great time,” she laughed.
She also received help from many other players, which helped her adjust to the professional stage. “My sister (Kim) Nahee, who plays the same position, taught me a lot of things when I was working out,” Lim said, “and (Kim) Dasol was my roommate, and she always took care of me.”
Heungkuk Life topped the regular league last season and went straight to the championship game. However, as a rookie, Lim was not given the opportunity to play in the championship game.
Nevertheless, Lim learned a lot from watching the seniors play in the championship game. “The atmosphere was completely different from the season before. “The atmosphere was completely different from the season,” he recalls, “and I could see that they were giving their best effort to every ball. “I realized that I want to grow up and become a player who can perform well in big games like that,” he added.
IBK middle blocker Lim Hye-rim. NoCut News
“I didn’t cry,” Lim said of her departure from Heungkuk Life after a brief meeting. After the announcement, I said goodbye to my sisters and packed my things right away,” she said. “Heungkuk Life got a late vacation because they went to the championship game, but IBK had already finished their vacation. My sisters asked me what I would do without my vacation,” he laughs.
Lim Hye-rim, who joined her new team without a vacation, reported, “I was worried, but the atmosphere is very good and everyone is taking care of me.” “I think I’m adapting faster than I thought,” she said. “My teammate (Kim) Yoon-woo takes care of me the most. He tells me everything I don’t know in detail.”
As a replacement for veteran Kim Soo-ji, the pressure must be on. “It’s something I have to accept, and I think it’s important to do my best in my position rather than feel pressure,” Lim said, adding, “I felt a lot of inadequacies during the last season, so I will try to be helpful to the team.”
The team will be coached by Kim Ho-cheol of IBK, who is known for his strictness and is called Mr. Tiger. “At first, I was worried that he would be very scary, but he’s nicer than I thought,” Lim said, adding, “He sometimes yells at me during training, but he also plays a lot of jokes with me, so I’m not scared of him.”
Now that they have a new coach, they need to get used to the new training style. “The details keep changing, so it’s confusing, but it doesn’t deviate from the big picture,” Lim said, “I’m trying to follow the coach’s requests as much as possible.”
Lim, who is the tallest player on the team at 184 centimeters, expressed her desire to contribute to the team by playing to her strengths. “As I am the tallest player on the team, I want to help the team by blocking a lot,” she said. “I also want to work well with the setter and show a lot of good things in the fast break.”
The team has different goals for the new season as they are wearing new uniforms. “As it’s my second year, I want to show a lot of good things when I get the chance,” Lim said. “I also want to improve my blocking, which was weak last season, and try to block Yeon-kyung’s balls,” she added.