Jangchung Coach Finds Winning Formula

July 7 was the day of the final match for the 60th Golden Lion nation-wide high school baseball contest between Jangchung High School and Yushin High School that opened at Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.

Jangchung High’s ace Lee Yong-chan was hit by Yushin High’s Jung Soo-bin’s fastball.

Lee Yong-chan is a third-year player receiving a bonus of 450,000,000 won from Doosan, and is considered to be their greatest prospective star. But as soon as the ball hit his body, he politely took off his cap and bowed his head to Jung Soo-bin who was heading towards the first base. Jung Soo-bin was a freshman.

Amongst the professional scouts, he’s praised, “He’s really got it on.” Lee gave his best throws and Jangchung High achieved its first win since its establishment in 1963.

Yoo Young-joon (44) who coaches the Jangchung team gave a chuckle. “I always tell them to behave like students. Good form before good baseball, you know. I think they’re beginning to understand the fundamentals.”

This is also coach Yoo’s philosophy on teaching. All instructors scream about high school baseball, but in the real world high school baseball is full of swaggering dandies. It’s one of the reasons high school baseball has lost its popularity.

Coach Yoo says, “When practice starts, there’s always emphasis on school spirit and teamwork. Even though Yong-chan is getting loads of money and got into professional baseball, nobody here is jealous. Yong-chan is good to his juniors as well.”

Yoo was appointed in the fall of 2002 at Jangchung. He brought with him the many players who faithfully trusted his guidance through the six years he was at Isu Middle School. Lee Yong-chan, Lee Doo-whan, Chun Jin-ho and Kim Myung-sung are the mainstream players who were students of his at Isu. One has even relinquished an acceptance to an honorary private school to follow Yoo. The team vowed during their first year to “Win until we graduate” and two years later they got their wish.

There was a time when aspiring players avoided Jangchung due to the lack of facilities and support. But parents who now believe in Yoo’s coaching are sending their children without a second thought. Jangchung already has 15 new scouts lined up for next year.

Yoo gives a hearty laugh and says, “I’m thankful to this school for letting me keep the team despite 43 years of no results. With the consecutive wins at the national contest, we’ve got an alumni going for the baseball team.”

uni@donga.com