Special Feature on Sports - 1

An inspirational sport in my life

YoungWoo Jang (Faculty of Economics, 4th year, Korea

   When you think about sports that represent South Korea, the 2002 Soccer World Cup semi-finals and the 2nd place in the WBC come to mind. Both soccer and baseball have been taken up largely through the media and have become ever so popular because of it. It has grown to the point that soccer is considered the national sport and baseball is not far behind as well. For instance, the red uniform that was worn by the national team and fans during the 2002 World Cup instilled a strong image throughout the globe. Players such as Park Ji-Sung who plays for the Manchester United FC have gained national fame that far exceeds any pop idol or singer in Korea.
   Of course, I was also one of those fans wearing the gred devilsh uniform and rooting for the team. But instead, I would like to write about a sport that I experienced during my elementary and junior high school years that hold close to my heart. A different article on these two sports will simply state what you have already heard before on the TV news. The sport that affected my life is basketball.
   There is only a little background on basketball when it comes to Korea. In 1996, the KBL (Korean Basketball League) was formed and since its establishment it has not produced any world-renowned players nor has it made any major accomplishments. Unlike the K-League (Korean Professional Football League), which has a history of over 25 years, basketball has a very short history compared to these other two major sports in Korea. Even though most people are interested in baseball and soccer, my attention is on basketball.
   There is a story behind the reason why I would like to write about this sport. You could say that basketball was part of my student life and still is now. Like most Asian societies, South Korea is known for its concentration on education and studies. At a very young age, we start living in a cyclic life style. First, we go to school, then to a private tutor/secondary educational school and then we return home. Everyday, most students live the same cycle, which continues on and on. To escape this daily routine and to relieve the stress from my studies, I started to play basketball at a nearby court. I was able to forget everything and regain my sanity just by running through the courts.
   As a child, I was very shy and quiet. I was unable to make any friends and would often play alone. The fact that I went to a private school did not help the situation as well. Then one day when I was in 2nd grade, my father bought me a basketball. That was when I met the sport that would soon change my life. All I needed was a ball and a court to play basketball. You didnft need other players to improve on your own skills. I started to practice on my own and soon the level of my individual play became much higher than the average elementary student. I was also able to make new friends through the sport.

MinSoo Kim, Representative of Korea
   Once I entered junior high school, my friends and I played in street basketball tournaments and also joined the school team. Every summer vacation, we would enter in those tournaments and meet different people from throughout the world. Not only people from Asia but also from across the globe. Companies such as Adidas and Nike would open tournaments for 3 on 3 games. My shy and awkward personality started to change around strangers. The more I met new people, the more I became open. It had changed my life.
   Ever since I came to Japan, I have not been able to play in such tournaments but I still take the time to play basketball at the school gym. In this country, street basketball has not yet become popular and is only able to play in the gym. But we still meet new people through the sport. Using this common ground, Ifve made many friends in Japan. Basketball still has a magical effect on people where two strangers can become friends through one sport. Not only has it relieved the stress of being in a international country, but it has also helped me create new friends.
   Here is a message and advice to all foreign exchange students. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the stress of coming to another country or the studying seems to take out everything out of you, try a sport for exercise. Any sport will be sufficient. Maybe itfs baseball or even jogging. You will soon feel the difference not only mentally but also physically A MAN, Chinese International Student Basketball Team Zhou (center, back row) From the Doshisha Sports when you concentrate on moving your body.
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