Seo-yoon Jang transferred to Sujeong Elementary School when she was in the 6th grade of elementary school. He and he started playing basketball. When he was in elementary school, he was already well over 170cm, so it may have been natural for him to start playing basketball.토스카지노 주소
Jang Seo-yoon, who has completed her adaptation to elite basketball at Cheongsol Middle School, is about to enter Bundang Business High School. As he himself said that this is ‘the most important time’, he is sweating hard. While he humbled himself throughout the interview, he surprised the reporter with his diverse vocabulary and eloquent speech.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Jang Seo-yoon, and I am a third-year student at Cheongsol Middle School. He is 180cm tall and his position is center.
How is he doing lately?
He finished the 2023 season with a weekend league championship. He will not compete before the one remaining competition, the Fall Federation. So he’s taking a vacation after finishing the weekend’s league championship. He is resting at home and doing personal exercise in his spare time.
He must be busy preparing for high school.
I’m going to the affiliated school, Bundang Management High School. His skills are still not good enough by high school standards. We need to eliminate any shortcomings in basic ball handling or offensive skills. So now is really important.
You have to be well prepared so that he can go with his sisters, rather than being dragged around by them. Bundang Business High School girls did very well in the 2023 season. And the second-year girls who will play together in the 2024 season are also really good. There is no pressure about going to high school. However, I think I just have to do well. (Laughs)
How did you start playing basketball?
When I was in the 5th grade of elementary school, I attended a basketball class at Yongin City Hall. Through the introduction of the teacher who taught me at the time, I transferred to Sujeong Elementary School when I was in the 6th grade of elementary school.
I guess the teacher highly valued your potential.
Rather than being recognized for my basketball skills, I was encouraged because of my height. My height at the time was 173cm. And the friends I played basketball with in basketball class started playing elite basketball first. Because of the influence of my friends, I decided to play basketball.
Elite basketball must have been different from the basketball classroom.
Of course, elite basketball wasn’t easy. Starting with physical training, it was difficult. And unlike the basketball classroom where only offense was fun, it was also difficult to adapt to the color of our school, which emphasizes defense. It’s still a learning process.
Have you finished adjusting to elite basketball after entering Cheongsol Middle School?
I didn’t know anything and worked really hard. In middle school, unlike elementary school, I dealt with older girls. I competed against players who were faster and stronger than me. My body was underdeveloped and I thought I was losing strength.
However, as I entered the second year of middle school, my body got better than when I was in the first year. I felt like we had the basics in defense as well. For the first time, I realized that if you work hard, results will follow.
What is your playstyle?
I received the questionnaire and looked back on my play. However, I am not yet able to play in a distinctive way that can be called a play style.
However, since he is a tall player, he plays center. The center is working hard to fulfill its required role. After receiving the ball in the paint zone, you score by either taking the ball out or playing a pick game. I also work hard to participate in rebounds. We try to create second chances.
Please also tell me the pros and cons.
First of all, my basic shooting ability is not good yet. In addition to the lack of smooth movement when attacking, one-on-one defense is also lacking. The first thing to fix is 1-on-1 defense. Especially when there is a mismatch with a small player, it is difficult to keep up with the small player’s breakthrough speed. I need to increase my speed enough to keep up with smaller players. I have a desire to defend.
Although he has many shortcomings, his fighting spirit to catch rebounds is his strength. I box out thoroughly, and I also train diligently. I also have good concentration. Since I overcame difficult training after moving up to Cheongsol Middle School, good mental strength naturally followed.
Is there a reason to place more importance on defense?
Cheongsol’s team color is a strong defense. Coach Lee Sang-hoon also always emphasized, “Even if you don’t score, if you block the opponent, it’s 1-1.” Through my coach’s teachings, I realized the importance of defense.
How was the 2022 season?
I played a lot as a sixth man at the beginning of the season. I played as a starter in the boys’ sports competition. The team also performed well in evaluation matches from the beginning of the season.
Nonetheless, the team had a hard time. A large number of key players left due to injuries. Fortunately, (Jeong) Chae-ah and the other sisters did really well. I also learned a lot from watching my sisters.
Are you satisfied with the 2023 season, now that you have moved up to the third year?
The best result is runner-up in the Federation President’s term. I placed 3rd in the spring federation competition and the association janggi competition. Although I consistently achieved good results, I still feel disappointed that I did not win. Since it was our lack of skills, we accepted it.
And personally, I had to take a break for a while after my term as president of the federation. I hurt my finger. So my confidence dropped a lot. (Because I did not participate in the fall league game) And I finished the 2023 season. I need to build up my lost confidence again.
How did you hurt your finger?
Also, I stayed in the semifinals in the association janggi competition. I lost to Dongju Girls’ Middle School. Coincidentally, I met Dongju Girls’ Middle School again in the next competition, the Federation President Preliminary Tournament. I thought I had to win. But I injured my finger in that game. Even though I hurt my finger, I was determined to do it until the end.
Also, the coach did a good job of selecting the bracket. (Laughs) Although I had a hard time due to a finger injury, my teammates made up for it well. That’s why I advanced to the finals of the competition.
Who is your role model?
Recently retired Yang Hee-jong (Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation) is my role model and my favorite player. He plays really good defense and rebounds well. He has strong leadership skills outside of basketball as well. I want to be like those things.
Also, I have always liked Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation. I also watched a lot of Gyeonggi Province. Every time I watch a game, Yang Hee-jong encourages his teammates both on and off the court. I saw KGC Ginseng Corporation come together as one. That was really cool.
What does basketball mean to Seo-yoon Jang?
Basketball is the most fun subject to me. There are always things I want to learn, and only if I work hard will the results come. It’s like studying where you can’t create something new if you don’t think for yourself.
Throughout the interview, I got the feeling that he was an ‘academic player.’
I have a strong will to study, and my parents also told me, “Don’t give up studying completely.” I don’t know what my future will be. I worked hard not to give up studying while exercising.
What is life like as a student?
My school grades are in the middle range. I am the class president in my class. I also tend to be diligent in school. My favorite subjects are science, English, and history. I’m good at Korean, but I don’t like it.
What are your future goals?
I haven’t realized my goal as a basketball player yet. First of all, my skills are not yet good enough to dream of going pro or being selected to the national team. While training hard in high school, it won’t be too late to think about it. However, my goal in life is ‘to learn at least one little thing from the exercise I do every day.’ My current goal is to find meaning every day.