"I've done it in 13 years!Hwacheon KSPO's Jungkut" won the WK League 'K League Legend'Talking about coach Kang Jae-soon

Sep 29, 2024

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation

"Thank you to our players for being with us for 14 years."

Kang Jae-soon, the coach of Hwacheon KSPO (National Sports Promotion Foundation), who achieved his dream of winning the championship in 13 years since its foundation, was a thank-you to the players.

Hwacheon KSPO, led by head coach Kang Jae-soon, defeated Changnyeong WFC 4-0 thanks to Choi Yoo-jung's multi-goal in the final round of the 28th regular league on the 26th. With 56 points (16 wins, 8 draws, 4 losses), he defeated Suwon FC Women (53 points, 15 wins, 8 draws, 5 losses) and Gyeongju KHNP (51 points, 14 wins, 9 draws, 5 losses). In the midst of the emotion of winning the first league, the players cheered by rinsing their teacher Kang high in the sky.

Coach Kang Jae-soon, who has led the Hwacheon KSPO since its foundation in 2011, is a talented striker. He made history as a member of the semifinals of the 1983 World Youth Championship in Mexico, and played for the modern tiger professional football team from 1987 to 1995, scoring 25 goals and 19 assists in 179 league games. In 1989, he scored six goals and six assists in 40 games and was also selected as the top 11 in the K-League. After retirement in 1997, he began his first leadership career at Kangil Girls' High School (Dismantling), a prestigious women's soccer club, and swept 27 cups in nine years. He served as the founding director of Gangwon Provincial University and Chungnam Ilhwa and took the helm of Hwacheon KSPO in 2011. Despite the love call from his alma mater Busan High School, it has already been 28 years since female disciples were caught in the eye and decided to stay a little longer.

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation

The 47-year-old head coach 'passion' has already reached the age of retirement, 'Winning' like a gift from heaven. There has been no league win in 13 years, but the atmosphere has always been the best. As with Choi Soo-jin in his 14th year, Hwacheon was a team that he wanted to stay, and it was a team that he could dream of again for players who lost their opportunities. The same was true of Choi Yoo-jung, who led the team to the championship with nine goals and five assists after moving from Incheon Hyundai Steel this season. Coach Kang smiled happily, saying, `Yoo-jung did not have enough opportunities, but she was a good player originally.' The 'Technician' striker coach still demonstrates his skills at the training site these days. The belief is that "the most effective way to guide is to show with the body." "We can still play together for 45 minutes in the first half."," he said with a smile.

The realistic goal of the Hwacheon KSPO was third. He reached the playoffs for the first time in 2012 and ranked third, and advanced to the playoffs in 2017 with a scary background, beating Icheon Bridge to advance to the first championship game. He lifted his first ever championship cup at the 2019 Seoul National Sports Festival, and after losing to Suwon FC in the playoffs after finishing third in the regular league last year, Hwacheon KSPO's momentum this year was ablaze. With his first regular league victory, he made a history of going straight to the championship. Coach Kang said, `We are a team that aims to foster and grow players rather than win, but we still have pride, and I thought it was the leader's duty to make it 'not possible'.' The greatest power of victory is 'New and old harmony'. Coach Kang said, `The older the female players get, the better they kick the ball. Even if your physical strength decreases, your stability, accuracy, and operational ability will get better and better." "Even when they couldn't play the game, they complimented the juniors, and when they played, they showed them in person to hold the center of the team."The younger members said, "'Let's put a star together when the sisters retire.'"," he said with a smile. "We're not a team that leans on a particular player. With Choi Yoo-jung and Asna active, Moon Eun-joo played a role after Lee Soo-bin's overseas transfer. Choi Jung-min also improved his play, and Go Yu-na has a high potential for development. Cheon Ga-ram is also growing through team play", he explained.

Coach Kang said to the players in the locker room immediately after winning the championship, `Thank you for finding the rewards you've worked hard for yourselfThe message was "I regret to miss the opportunity last year, but I'm most happy that I survived well until the end this year and was rewarded for my efforts." He has never won in fourteen years. Third place was the goal. Winning doesn't make sense, and I've always set realistic goals"Munseo "But after finishing third last year, players such as Choi Yoo-jung and Asna came in, and I thought I could win the championship. I told the players 'You have to take the opportunity when it comes'You can't miss it this time' Our players achieved that goal"I expressed my appreciation.

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It is the biggest surprise that Incheon Hyundai Steel, which had a history of 11 consecutive losses until last season, remained in fourth place this season and missed the playoff ticket. Coach Kang, who made the first crack in the `Uh Woo-hyun (the winner is Hyundai Steel anyway)' system, said, `Now the atmosphere has changed. It's hard to win without a loss. No one can guarantee who will win next year as well," he said, signaling a great battle.

Hwacheon will compete with the winner of the first and second playoff games (November 2-5) between Suwon and Gyeongju for an integrated victory in the championship match to be held at 2 p.m. on November 9. Coach Kang also won the league. Our players will compete with confidence because the records against Suwon and Gyeongju (two wins and two draws each) are also good. In order to put on a true star, he must win the championship even in the championship game. I will definitely put a full star on it, not a half star."

sky4us@sportschosun.com