Bui Vu Thanh Tuyen has been involved in volleyball for 15 years (from 2008 to 2022). What is the most difficult time for you?
- 15 years of being involved in Vietnamese volleyball have been a beautiful journey for me. During those years, there were still difficulties, problems and injuries when competing, practicing and growing up. But those are small stories that contribute to creating a " youthful volleyball" in me.
The most difficult time for me was when I was injured and had continuous recurrence. The tournaments are always continuous, so I myself do not have time to recover my physical strength. There are painful nights when I can't sleep. At those times, the first thing I thought of was my mother and my family. Family was my support and motivation at that time.
My family is not well off, there were times when it was very difficult. When I bit my tooth and got injected with painkillers, I told myself that I could not stop but had to continue. Because I am the pillar of the family and I know that the family really needs me.
You have also received many different opinions when wearing the "tomboy" style. How does Thanh Tuyen deal with those things?
- At the time I started playing volleyball, there were not many players with tomboy style. Only Kim Lien and libero are playing for LPB Ninh Binh. It was not a difficult time with many negative opinions, a long story with surrounding gossip and I was pressured by this.
But I am someone who focuses on what I think is right. Therefore, I try to keep my point of view, be meticulous in practice and lifestyle so that no one can blame me, not affecting everyone.
Every day, I try to finally be more respected and have a voice. Currently, Vietnamese volleyball has many athletes with tomboy style such as Khanh Dang, Bich Tuyen...
In addition to being recognized for their talents, they are also open to fans, even showing a lot of affection. That is what makes me very happy and comforting for myself.
Why did you decide to retire in 2022?
- Injuries will go with athletes in training, competition and have to live with them. I have to do something to reduce pressure on injuries and pain in joints while ensuring professionalism. But I am the one who always wants to do everything most completely. So at that time, I felt like I was at my peak. I can't develop further even though in the libero position, I can still play for a few more years.
Of course, I also had a direction before. When practicing, I still studied technology, business, investment in parallel... At that time, I realized that the jobs I had learned and accumulated could now be started. Those things will help me develop.
It took me a while to decide to retire and get used to not being in the studio or competing.
What is your main job now?
- Volleyball is my youth, my dream, so when I retire, I still want to do something related to volleyball, contributing to the development of Vietnamese volleyball. Currently, I am playing the role of a collaborator of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, a supporter for domestic and international tournaments.
I have studied through classes of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the World Volleyball Confederation (FIVB) on tournament management, bringing technology applied to those tournaments. Technology includes lighting, LED lights, running sound in matches, player performance statistics, video challenges, electronic records...
I learned and returned to try to convey and apply everything for Vietnamese volleyball. Currently, domestic tournaments and facilities are not enough to make a complete technology system, so I participate in supporting laws, video challenges... so that the organizing committee can operate closely with the laws of Asian volleyball.
Vietnamese women's volleyball has developed and approached the world level. Do you regret not playing at this time?
- Vietnamese women's volleyball has had good results in recent times. They can compete on par with higher volleyball teams like Thailand. That is something that I and the Kim Hue, Pham Thi Yen... have not been able to do.
I think I can't be as good as you are now because you have physical strength, fitness, and many conditions to connect and learn from developed volleyball backgrounds around the world. I believe you will go further.
How do you evaluate the opportunities for Vietnamese players to go abroad?
- I think that the fact that Vietnamese players go abroad not only helps the country's volleyball but also makes them more confident. In my opinion, teams should open a mechanism so that players have the opportunity to play more advanced volleyball.
From there, they can assert themselves in a professional environment to learn tactics, how to develop physical strength, technology, etc. After returning home, players from abroad will apply for domestic volleyball. But that problem still lies in the home team of the players.
Have you ever dreamed of going abroad?
- I have won many titles both at club and national team level, so I really want to go abroad. But when I was playing, it was very difficult to go abroad because I had a contract with my home team, and the connection between Vietnamese volleyball and international volleyball was not good. I believe that any athlete wants to compete abroad.
How do you consider the successor of current Vietnamese volleyball?
- Vietnamese volleyball has many talented players, spanning many ages such as Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Bich Tuyen, Khanh Dang, Nguyen Thi Trinh, Kieu Trinh... Women's volleyball has an even, quality force and receives a lot of expectations.
The next generation is very good. The players are physically fit, have all the conditions to compete with the strong volleyball teams in the world. They can go abroad and succeed. Thanh Thuy, Bich Thuy, Kieu Trinh are proof of this.
Going abroad helps Vietnamese players gain experience, have their own observation, and know more about their opponents. When returning home, especially focusing on the national team, they will apply what they have learned.
We have people and conditions to develop. The most important thing right now is cohesion. Individuals who compete outstandingly need to have cohesion to gather those individual techniques into a strong team.
