“We haven’t won a national championship yet, and I’d like to do it this year. I’m very thirsty and so are the players.”
Coach Choi Ho-kwan, who is known for his ability to coach and nurture on the soccer field, has gotten his wish. Yeongdeok High School in Gyeongsangbuk-do, which has been runner-up five times, has finally won the national title.
Youngdeok High School defeated traditional powerhouse Ulsan Hakseong High School 3-2 at the ’61st National High School Football Tournament’ held at Goseong-gun Sports Complex 카지노 커뮤니티 on the 2nd of this month.
Youngdeokgo conceded two goals in the first half, but Kim Ga-on’s header in the last minute of the first half and Kwon Oh-hyun’s 28th-minute penalty kick equalized the score. Just before the end of the second half, Park Min-seo’s corner kick was converted by Yoon Jae-woong with a dramatic header for a 3-2 victory.
Choi Ho-kwan, one of the most renowned high school coaches in the country, and his assistant Lee Byung-yoon were named the tournament’s best coaches. Park Min-seo won the best player award, Kim Tae-hyun won the best offense award, and Kim Hyo-joon won the best defense award.
Yeongdeok High School began to rise to prominence in 2020 after “Yeongdeok native” Choi Ho-kwan took over as head coach. This is the eighth year under Choi.
He created a ‘one-man team’ by eliciting the eagerness of the players, who had both humanity and skill, and ran tirelessly as soccer players. When the coach puts his heart into it, the players open up.
Until the beginning of this year, Youngdeokgoda had won four runner-up titles. The team won the first tournament of the season, the 2024 Spring National High School Championship, but lost to Sinnpyeong High School in the final on March 1 and finished as runner-up again.
There was no time for disappointment. They didn’t give up and worked harder for the next step. In March, the team won the 105th Gyeongbuk National Team Selection Tournament, which was held shortly afterward, defeating Pohang Steel, an U-18 team affiliated with the famous soccer team Pohang Steelers.
The momentum carried them to the Cheongryonggi. They shook off the runner-up jinx with a dramatic final victory.
Coach Choi Ho-kwan told Sportal Korea, “The players did their best in the hot weather and tight schedule. I am grateful to Yeongdeok-gun officials, staff, and players’ families for their support. The players’ eagerness led to a valuable result of winning the championship.”
In the past, Yeongdeok had less than 20 players on the team. The ‘sincerity’ that Choi Ho-kwan always mentioned and the passion of the players are now blossoming. The popularity of the program has grown to the point that soccer players and their parents are now directly inquiring about it.
“I arrived in Yeongdeok this afternoon (March 3) and received many congratulations from yesterday. As soon as I arrived, I had to go to the venue. The Yeongdeok Golden Fish Festival has been held since yesterday. We will be able to perform the winning ceremony here. It will be a meaningful occasion,” he said, expressing his gratitude.
Now he’s looking higher. Yeongdeok High School will participate in the 2024 National High School Football League Wangjoong Wangjeong and 79th National High School Football Championship from August 12-27 in Andong, Gyeongbuk. Traditional powerhouses, including youth teams under the professional umbrella, will be on hand to determine the true powerhouse.
Coach Choi Ho-kwan said, “I don’t have any big ambitions. We’re going to play a lot of players and give them a chance. We will focus on gaining experience,” Choi said.
