“It’s rare now, but in the past, there were often people who asked me what kind of relationship I had with Bang Seong-yoon. I think it’s because there aren’t many basketball players with the surname Bang, and the names are similar. There are some small episodes from my school days that were tangled with names. I’ve never actually seen one. My name is Dorimja, which has been passed down from my older sisters.”
Few fans remember Bang Bang-yoon (41‧174.5cm), ‘Pangpang’, who was active as a shooting guard for WKBL Shinsegae Cool Cat. He was recognized for his talent from his youth and had quite a few male fans due to his extraordinary beauty, but it is correct to say that he was easily forgotten due to the short period he played in the professional league. Because of her, people who know her say, ‘If she had taken her playing career just a little longer, she would have become a player with both skill and popularity…’ ‘ is expressing a lot of regret.
“In a way, I think it’s because I’m not well known. Bang Seong-yoon was a very famous star, but the women’s and men’s divisions are different. During his career as a player, there are good times and not a few bad times. In particular, it is important to endure when the body and mind are tired and difficult, but I don’t think I could overcome that moment. In the end, her professional career had to be cut short, and by the time she realized that and had an eye for basketball to some extent, it was already too late.”
Bang Ji-yoon, who was selected for Shinsegae in the 6th overall in the 2001 WKBL freshman selection, only played 76 games until 2005. At the time, Shinsegae’s power was so solid that he mainly played as a sixth man, recording 3.09 points, 0.72 rebounds, and 0.34 assists in an average of 9 minutes and 27 seconds. In the match against Woori Bank in 2004, he played 35 minutes and 11 seconds, scoring 18 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, stealing 2 shots, and shooting 1 block.
“Usually, congratulatory voices pour in when you are selected at the new player selection meeting. In my case, there were not a few people who comforted me. Of course, it was nominated for Shinsegae, which was called the strongest team at the time. I’m not saying Shinsegae is bad. It was a very strong team, so it was a big reason why it was not easy for rookies to get playing time. Then, after the main players left, it went downhill and hovered around the lower ranks. So, this time, the biggest rookies joined the team. I really wanted to know what this was all about. It’s an excuse, of course. If I had the will, I should have worked harder and overcome with my skills.”
If there is darkness, there is also light. Bang Ji-yoon still regrets those days, but he is not simply passing the time regretting it. He reflected on his ups and downs as a player and used it as his nourishment in his leadership career. As much as his students, he hopes that he will not make an unfortunate choice like himself, and emphasizes his love for basketball and his will to endure when it is difficult rather than improving his immediate skills.
After teaching students at her alma mater, Sookmyung Girls’ High School, for about 10 years, we met coach Bang Ji-yoon, who plans to continue her leadership career after moving to Sookmyung Girls’ Middle School, to hear her thoughts on basketball and her message to her juniors.
“I am growing as a leader while accumulating various experiences.”
Q. How are you doing these days?
Nothing much has changed. ah! There has been a change in place. You know that I coached for 10 years at my alma mater, Sookmyung Girls’ High School, right? I also received a 10-year continuous service award from the Middle School Basketball League (laughs). Sookmyung Girls’ Middle School coach quit. I went to that vacant seat. In the process, there were people who wondered, ‘No, why?’ It’s not that the school is completely different, it’s that I need to leave the familiar girls’ high school I’ve been in charge of for a long time and go to a girls’ middle school. It was a decision I made after thinking a lot. Seocho Elementary School’s basketball team, which we had a relationship with, was disbanded. As a result, Sookmyung Women’s Middle School had a difficult time supplying players. Scouting isn’t easy either. Right now, Sookmyung Girls’ High School’s power is not bad, but in the long run, it’s a crisis. If Sookmyung Girls’ Middle School is shaken, it will naturally affect Sookmyung Girls’ High School. That’s why I decided to go down to Sookmyung Girls’ Middle School, which is the root of it.
Q. In a way, you are deliberately taking a more difficult path.
It won’t be easy. Moreover, it is even more so from my point of view, having only been at Sookmyung Girls’ High School for 10 years. Girls’ high school is a process of refining friends that have been made to some extent. So, I had a vague idea of wanting to teach younger students and teach them from the basics to bad habits. Don’t get me wrong. Just because I coached a girls’ high school doesn’t mean I was blindly hired for the name. After submitting an application and going through an interview, I was accepted and appointed as a coach. I don’t know if the fact that I came from my alma mater and worked as a leader at a girls’ high school for a long time worked as a plus, but the process itself followed the procedure. In the case of girls’ high schools, there are currently vacancies, but a new teacher will come in the near future as they have posted a job announcement. Girls’ high school and girls’ middle school are definitely different, so there are many new things to learn, and for a while, the hardships were wide open.
Q. I understand that while coaching at Sookmyung Girls’ High School, you also coached the U18 Korean women’s basketball team.
Oh, that’s how lucky I was. I first joined as a coach in 2016. At that time, I was in my 5th year as a leader, and the motivation to gain more experience and learn something just came up. At that time, coach Kim Yeong-min of Chuncheon Girls’ High School was leading the national team, and I expressed my opinion to the school that I wanted to join the team. I was happy. I thought it was an opportunity to learn a lot as a leader while experiencing a new stage. Even after that, luckily, even if the coach changed, opportunities continued to be given, and I gained experience as a coach three times. After that, as my career progressed, I also thought that I wanted to lead the team as a manager, and I applied and was accepted and then took over. Personally, I think it was an opportunity for me to learn and grow a lot. Participating in international competitions as a leader is a great learning experience in itself, and I felt a sense of responsibility as a commanding tower.
Q. It seems like an odd question, but is there an episode that happened because of the name?
Ah, are you talking about Bang Seong-yoon? I used to get asked a few questions like that from time to time. What’s the relationship? (Laughs) There aren’t many basketball players in Bang, and our names are a bit similar. It must have been during his professional career in Shinsegae. My second sister’s name is Bang Jeong-yoon. He works in the hospital operation department, and he said that he has a younger brother who is a basketball player, so customers ask if his younger brother is Bang Seong-yoon, and he said that there was such a thing. Even during my school days, player Bang Seong-yoon had a lot more recognition than me. That’s why there were people who wondered about his name or joked with him. Well, I didn’t feel bad or anything like that. He’s a really good player. I vaguely thought that it would be fun to do an interview together when I become famous later on. Of course it didn’t happen.
“Retire? I packed my things at dawn and ran away at night.”
Q. It seems that you worked diligently after you retired.
There are so many diligent people, so I wonder if that word would suit me, but it is true that I tried to work harder after retirement. After graduating from Sookmyung Girls’ High School in 2001, I immediately joined Shinsegae Coolcat, stayed there until 2005, and then played for the Daegu Donga Department Store (now Daegu City Hall) unemployment team in 2006-2007. Then, in 2009, I went to Yongin University where head coach Seo Kyung-hwa was leading the basketball team. I felt the need for college because of my social life, but Lee Mun-gyu, who guided me during the procedural, said that it would be good for me to go to college for my future, so I made the choice. Then, as soon as I graduated, Sookmyung Girls’ High School called me, so I started my leadership career right away. Even now, when I think about it, I am very, very grateful.
Q. I think the road to becoming a leader is connected quite naturally.
Again, thank you very much. It is even more so when I think of the disappointing professional life. To be honest, it’s not long-running or famous. Somehow, I ended up quitting after a short while, so I feel regretful even thinking about it now. When I came out of the pro, I packed up and ran away. Falling over the fence in the morning… , It was literally a night getaway. I ask my brother-in-law to come to help me in advance. I was very immature. It was the fifth year at the time, and the Japanese field training was held. It was literally a 007 escape operation by asking the interpreter to secretly take out the passport. I don’t know if it’s because I was young, but I couldn’t say that I would retire openly. So I acted like that, but thinking about it now, I’m really ashamed. I also wondered why.
Q. Are you continuing your leadership career for a long time?
There are a lot of people who have been leaders for so long, so I’m not enough to be part of them, but considering my age, I think I’m doing it steadily. After graduating from college, I have been teaching students in one place. In the future, I want to walk the path of a leader with an unchanging heart. In fact, if you repeat the same mistake again after finishing your player days like that, you are not qualified as a leader. After leaving the professional stage, I regretted a lot and reflected deeply. In particular, I learned a lot from watching Lim Young-hee unnie. In the case of her sister, it wasn’t even the main thing from the beginning. The sadness of being unknown, the backup life was really long. However, it is really amazing to see that he endured to the end and left his name as a long-term plastic surgery. I wondered why I couldn’t do it like my sister. But spilled water cannot be collected again. Rather than regretting and having a hard time over the past, I think you need to make an effort to mature and grow through mistakes. Reflection in your head is meaningless. After having an accident and having such years, my gaze toward the disciples has deepened and I am trying to understand their hearts.
Q. Your bright expression and kind tone are always impressive. I think it’s the reason why I didn’t have a bad image even though I finished my career unfortunately.
Me? (Laughs) The current facial expressions and tone of voice were largely created while living as a leader. When I was active, it was a little different from now. He didn’t have a dark personality, but since he’s at the youngest level, he looked down on himself because he was depressed, and it didn’t work out well as a player, so his bright side didn’t come out well. He was also bad at expressing emotions. Even in the early days of my leadership career, I remember having a hard time with that tendency. But a leader is different from a player. If I had been in the player’s position, I could have done something like this, but as a leader, I had to take care of others, so I had to change. As I tried to make changes like that, I think that many of the regrettable parts were fixed, and I laughed a lot while watching the students grow and their expressions brightened.
Q. The fact that your expression has become brighter also means that you have more room in your heart.
that’s right. They say that the older you get, the more likely your thinking becomes inflexible and rigid. Do you think that your own beliefs are getting stronger? I think you can grow only when you can let go of it yourself and listen to and empathize with others. When I was a rookie, (Jeong) Seon-min unnie, (Yang) Jeong-ok unnie, and (Jang) Seon-hyeong unni were the main pillars of the team. Because they were also seniors like the sky, I couldn’t talk carelessly. Now that I think about it, the unnies didn’t do anything difficult, but I froze alone. But the relationship that I knew like that was a big help when I was in social life. He always takes care of me and says a lot of nice things, and I gain a lot of strength in many ways. It can be said that it is the greatest wealth acquired by entering the Shinsegae family. 메이저사이트
“It was a hasty retirement, but I learned a lot.”
Q. You seem to have learned a lot after retiring as a pro.
After coming out of the Shinsegae, you played 3 years in college and 2 years in unemployment. That period is also an indispensable part of my life. It was a time when I was able to learn social life belatedly and grow in many ways. When I was a pro, I was literally immature. When I encountered a difficult task, I only felt that it was difficult, but after going through college and unemployment, I learned to think differently. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I changed completely while I was a leader. More than anything, I think I have become a person who knows how to tolerate while looking far away rather than struggling right now.
Q. Even so, I don’t think you would have run away at night simply because training was difficult. I think other factors may have overlapped.
you’re right. If I was only going to quit because of hardships, I would have already hit basketball in my school days. I can’t even get to pro. As you know, the team was really strong when coach Lee Moon-gyu was leading Shinsegae. In the regular league, there was no opponent enough to allow only 4 losses and win the championship. Then, after being replaced by coach Kim Yun-ho, they plummeted to the lowest-ranked team in an instant. Of course, it wasn’t entirely his fault. When it comes to basketball, there are good times and there are bad times, and it was also a cycle of going up and coming down with all your might. Anyway, since the team stayed at the bottom of the list, I ended up picking the biggest player during the rookie draft.
Q. I must have been pushed back.
Yes. Of course, it was a good thing from the team’s point of view, but from my point of view, it became more and more difficult. Even so, he was the 7th or 8th player in the team, but when a first-class player joined the team, the travel time he took was reduced even more. As a team, rather than developing the existing sixth man, we will try to develop a newcomer who has entered the high rank. The unnies are well-proven players and they are older than me, so I didn’t pay much attention to them, but it was really hard mentally to keep the bench pushed by juniors who had just joined. In the meantime, I often got hurt, and it was really hard to endure mentally at the time. Then it must have been the 4th year. As his business trip time increased little by little, he was trying to regain his confidence, but he severely injured his ankle and had to have surgery. It was a pity that it happened when I was about to improve my performance. Anyway, I didn’t want to lose my good pace, so I worked hard on rehabilitation after surgery. The moment I was about to come back like that, this time I cut his back. Seniors and juniors who suffered from injuries would know. The mental pain was worse than the physical pain. In the midst of the negative thoughts, I felt that the string of hope I was holding on to with my teeth clenched was snapping. Of course, there are players who took chances by holding on to the end even in more difficult situations. It would be correct to say that I was mentally weak at the time. I couldn’t stand that much with the bowl at the time, so I ended up running away at night.
Q. You were young, and personality-wise, it must have been very difficult for you to say, “I will quit my career as a player because of this.”
It was difficult. At the time, the head coach was Jeong In-gyo. It was the time when he had just been appointed head coach after being a coach. He went to see the director and said, ‘I’m having a hard time, so I’m going to retire’, and he replied briefly, ‘Okay’ right away. Anyway, I got permission from the coach without difficulty, but the basketball team manager was different. He did not allow retirement easily, saying ‘Why are you trying to quit so vainly’. When I think about it now, I’m grateful, but at the time, I just wanted to quit quickly. Perhaps, if coach Lee Moon-gyu, who had chosen me, had been there, I might not have made up my mind so quickly.
Q. Director Lee Moon-kyu’s trust must have been quite solid?
Yes. At least I felt that way. At that time, Shinsegae’s main members consisted of (Jeong) Seon-min unnie, (Yang) Jeong-ok unnie, (Jang) Seon-hyeong unni, and (Lee) Eon-ju unnie, and foreign players. Even in that situation, the director is trying to raise me. I felt that he was trying to give me a chance. At least with Director Lee, I had the belief that an opportunity would come. Of course, I am not saying that the later directors were bad. It’s just that there is a compatibility between people, and I just wondered if I didn’t fit well with Director Lee in that respect. Perhaps because of my experience at the time, I felt more attached to the children who were lagging behind even as leaders. I know how it feels because I’ve experienced it enough.
“By evil, by evil… , I even changed my playing style.”
Q. When I listened to commentator Kim Eun-hye, she said that in high school, she was very close.
(Kim) Eun-hye took good care of it. I think she did pretty well until high school. Even when she said she was good, she listened well. What I still remember is that there were 7 people who were selected for the youth team, and we watched the rookie draft in one place. Usually, when we are nominated, there is a congratulatory atmosphere, but there were more people who comforted me. I would rather have been nominated by Kumho Life Insurance. It’s a big reason why the player base wasn’t thick since it wasn’t long since it was founded. After all, if you get a lot of opportunities since you are a rookie, the speed of growth itself can be different. Of course, I mentioned it before, but I think it might be an excuse. It’s just a difference in time for players who work really hard and earnestly, because opportunities come.
Q. I think I could have done better if I realized it sooner.
sure. After retiring as a pro, when I was playing in college, my eyes opened to basketball at some point. I thought of all sorts of things since I would have done really well if I had played in the pro right now. Each player has their own period, but I think I was in my late 20s. I was pushing my own limits too quickly. So while I am a leader, there are things I often say to my disciples. (Park) There are not many players who are good at the beginning like Jisoo. You can become a good player if you know how to wait.
Q. What was Bang Ji-yoon’s play style like?
Come to think of it, I don’t think I learned basketball well until high school. It’s not that the teachers didn’t teach me well, it’s that I went in the wrong direction. His playing style was, to put it mildly, an all-around player. Among his peers, he did a lot of individual play just because he had good personal skills, and when it was bad, he took a lot of moves that were close to 1:5. His 3-point shot was long and he was confident as a mid-range jumper. It was a typical attack. I don’t think it was a time when I was unnecessarily proud. Then I went to the pros and tasted the bitterness properly. One time, I played a practice game with (Yang) Jeong-ok as a backcourt duo, but I barely caught the ball.
Q.Really? It must have been a big shock.
It was great. My feet were slow and my ability to read the flow was too poor. The defense was also often pointed out. I was pushed out of all the offense and defense, so I was worried about what to do first. I think it will take about 4-5 years to go from being colorless and odorless to creating my own style. I was an aggressive shooting guard specializing in three-point shots and middle shots. But the interesting thing is that in my 5th year, I often played as a defender. How do you change the mood? It’s already been 5 years, but I haven’t been able to properly settle down, and I’m being pushed behind by my juniors… , I want to play the game, but the reality is not, so the poison rose from the depths of my heart. I wanted to show that I am by doing anything. In a way, I think the overall balance was not better then. After that, I ended up retiring on my own without any time to grow. I wonder if it was fatal to injure my ankle when I was trying to improve my performance, such as playing a full round as a starter. My playing time increased and by the time I felt it was worth it, I was seriously injured.
Q. What was the team discipline like at the time?
When old seniors hear it, they say, ‘Ah, to that extent… ’ I don’t know if you would say that, but I think it was a difficult time for us as well. It would be correct to say that they were closer to the old generation of seniors rather than current friends, so they had their own discipline. Shinsegae, in particular, was chosen as a team that rookies are hesitant about because of rumors that the atmosphere is strong with Woori Bank. I remember that there were many friends who preferred Samsung Life, which is known to be relatively free. Of course, you can’t go just because you want to go, and each team must have had their own strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, training was difficult during my rookie days, but I felt that everything else was also difficult. It was not a time when various facilities for players were properly equipped like now. I had to boil the laundry, boil the water to eat, and clean up was no joke. There were so many things to do besides exercise. I can’t imagine what it was like in the past when I listen to seniors who say that it’s improved. There were also quite a few other etiquettes to follow, and at first I was under a lot of stress. I think I only expressed it in a very bleak way because I talked like this, but on the contrary, I had a lot of respect and a strong part of me that took care of me, so I felt like a family.
Q. Who are some of the most memorable foreign players?
I am Elena Beard. She was so good at her athleticism and technique that she was even assigned the role of the team’s main gun. The scoring was great. Once it exploded, it was uncontrollable. Skills are also skills, but I can’t forget him because he has a very good personality and is a bright friend. We were close because we were the same age and had the same position, but he called me by the nickname ‘Pangpang’ and that’s it. I also remember learning Korean little by little, calling the director’s name and joking around like ‘000 crazy guy’. Even though he came as a foreign player, he even played a role as an atmosphere maker within the team.
Q. Did you have any other nicknames besides Pangpang?
I’m not a well-known player, so I don’t have a particularly famous nickname. He was also nicknamed ‘Banga Bangga’ or ‘Banga’ after his last name, ah! In the case of (Kim) Eun-hye, she called me ‘aunt’. They said it was because I was a bit mature compared to my peers. If you think about it, the nickname that university students call me in high school is ‘see again and again’. I remember that he often joked with me saying, “Have you not graduated yet?” It wasn’t until I was about 25 that I found a face that suited my age. Fortunately, when I was young, my friends who were presbyopic said that they change less as they get older, but I think it’s fortunate that I don’t often hear that I look older than my age
.
I heard that there was a lot of violence in ‘, but it’s correct to say that it’s almost gone in the coach’s generation, right?
A large portion of it was also left over. In particular, I remember that there were not a few teachers who taught while hitting until high school. Fortunately (?), I only got slapped and got hit on the butt, but I’ve seen friends whose noses were broken from being punched. Of course, it’s unfortunate that it’s the students who hit, but the teachers who beat them were also amazing in a sense. Looking at it now, it’s safe to say that it’s close to violence, or just violence. I also exercised while being beaten, and after that, as a leader, I came to think that there is no such thing as a so-called ‘hawk of love’.
Q. Nowadays, a lot of people are disappearing, but why did they hit you like that in the past?
I think I may have chosen the quick way. The immediate results are urgent to fully understand the players and motivate them to grow. What’s the fastest way to level up your game? It is to maintain extreme tension through violence and corporal punishment. Even if you don’t want to be hit, you do it desperately. Then, not only the teachers who beat the students who say that violence causes violence, but also the right students recognize the situation as natural. That’s what it is.
Q. It must have been difficult to expect the basketball you enjoy.
Few players can enjoy it in such an atmosphere. I listen passively just to not fit in. In the short term, teaching while hitting is more effective. In particular, when you look at players from teams that are notorious for hitting a lot, their eyes are different. The movements are also different. Of course, I never think it’s a good direction. Violence, no matter what the intention, is an unacceptable method in itself and, above all, it can instill a negative perception of basketball among players. The most problematic thing is that even after growing up and going to the pros, you have no choice but to be extremely passive. The power to withstand violence and spirit is strong, but it becomes very vulnerable in the way of taking care of yourself. This is the reason why the leadership method that uses violence is dangerous.
Q. Then, what is the leadership philosophy of leader Bang Ji-yoon?
I am a person who still lacks a lot, so when I say guiding philosophy, it is too grandiose. At the very least, I hope my students don’t repeat the mistakes or regrets I made when I was a pro. I know why I have to do that because I’ve been through a lot, so I try to communicate often so that I can understand that part well. In addition, I have a strong desire to create players who find themselves and move with motivation, not passively. There are limits to what anyone can do. It is not that the leader will follow you for the rest of your life. I want to point you in that direction.
Q. Lastly, please say hello to the fans who support basketball player Bang Ji-yoon.
Even though I wasn’t very famous, there were fans who always supported me, and it’s true that thanks to them, I became a great source of strength during difficult times. Because of this, I know very well how precious the presence of fans is to players. I also have a great desire to show my fans who have supported me that I am steadily working hard and growing as a leader. I wonder if other players feel the same way. Now that the cold winter is over, spring is coming. I wish you a bright and good day like the warm spring sunshine.