A Deep Grief to my Teacher
"He used to be real healthy, not having to worry about blood pressure but I guess it`s my fault of him being in the hospital. After the training period is over, Im thinking of giving a call of condolences."
The 41 year-old Rookie coach Shin Young-Chul was petrified on the morning of February 20.
Coach Shin Young-chul, who was selected as the new LG Fires coach on February 17, started off with a hardcore training for the players on February 18 without having time to take their pulses. If the LG Fires don`t have good record in the upcoming 5th Dae-Jeon tour, the team will slip-off from clinching a playoff birth. The coach didnt even have a welcome party for the teams players. He felt uncomfortable with everything. In the middle of current situation, it even perplexed coach Shin more when his `all-time coach Shin Chi-Yong (Samsung Fires) was sent to the hospital.
The words of his teacher still echoed around coach Shin`s (LG Fires) ears when he was paying a visit to say thanks after the leaving team on February 18 so it made it hard to believe that he was sent to the hospital. He always said, "leaders are lonely. You must be strong."
Coach Shin commented, "it`s been only a few days but I have already realized how hard it is to be a coach. I just wonder how hard it would have been for my teacher who commanded the team for nine years. Also, I just want to say that Im sorry, by quoting the saying that, one knows the heart of ones parent when one becomes one."
However he can`t look back any longer once coach Shin made his way. He has gone through 17 years as a player and learned from coach Shin Chi-Yong but now he`s destined to face-off with his teacher as a competitor.
Currently the LG Fires situation is the worst. Throughout the fourth tour, the team advanced to the semifinals only once as the LG Fires stands in fifth place with a poor 11 winning points. While the top notched Samsung Fires (32 winning points) and the 2nd placed Hyundai Capitals (11 winning points) already settled down to the semifinals, LG fires competes against Korean Air (9 winning points) and Army (8 winning points) in a head to head competition which won`t be an easy task. One of the factors that stirred the poor performance was due to swapping the commanding spot during the season.
As coach Shin of the LG Fires knows well of the situation, he announced to overcome the Samsung Fires. His first goal of the season is making it to the playoffs. As he said "no matter how good I am, the Samsung Fire`s is my teachers team. I wanted to have my own team."
When would the rookie coach, who had a guaranteed future as a player, overcome his teacher and realize his own leadership? As we see another interesting story has risen in the volleyball world.
Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com
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