ethernetacademy.net21 rookies will join the V-League this year.
The employment rate in the V-League is very high compared to other professional sports. In this year’s women’s rookie draft, 21 of the 40 participants – more than half – found jobs. That’s a whopping 52.5% employment rate. That’s up about 10% from 42.85% last year. The lowest employment rate since the draft began in 2005 was 33.3% in the 2020-2021 season, so the odds of a volleyball player finding a job are incredibly high.
Still, players enter the draft with a lot of nerves. Their families are also nervously awaiting the results. Some players even burst into tears when their name is called. The high employment rate doesn’t diminish the joy of getting a job.
After the euphoria of joining a professional team, the challenge for rookies entering the professional ranks is just beginning. The V-League has a high employment rate, but not necessarily a high survival rate.
Even before this year’s draft, team leaders had a lot on their minds. With the exception of Kim Se-bin, who was selected early in the first round, there weren’t many resources that could compete in the pros right away, especially among outside hitters, and there were concerns that there weren’t enough players who could compete with existing pros.
In the immediate future, of the 22 players drafted by V-League clubs in last year’s draft (including one additional post-draft pick), only 14 registered as professional players with the Korean Volleyball Federation this year. The remaining eight failed to maintain their professional status. 36% left the professional scene after just one year.
Getting a chance to play is not easy. If you look at the women’s rookie of the year winners in recent years, the general consensus is that they haven’t performed as well as in the past. Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Choi Hyo-seo (Jung Kwan-jang), only played 51 sets in 22 matches. Choi was the 6th pick of the second round. This means that the players selected in the first and second rounds were even less successful. This is how difficult it is for rookies to play in the pros.먹튀검증
It depends on the quality and adaptability of the rookie, but if they don’t prove their competitiveness and potential, they will be judged harshly. This year’s rookies are no different. If you can’t compete and win against seniors and teammates in the same position, you won’t get a chance to play. That’s why most rookies say, “I’m going to work hard and earn my spot”.