How do you feel about achieving 300 wins?

I wasn’t thinking about it, but it bothered me as I approached. I’ve been at Woori Bank for so long. I don’t know if it feels good, but I’m personally proud to hear that it’s a record. I’m grateful that the results were achieved because the players worked hard. Not only the players, but also the coaches and trainers helped me, so I was able to win 300 games. I want to say thank you.

When you first became Woori Bank’s director, did you know you’d do it for this long?
Who is such a coach? I’m sure there isn’t. When I first became a coach, there were coaches who won 100 games. So I thought, ‘Can I win 100 games?’ I even won 200 or 300 games, but I thought, ‘Already?’ I wasn’t conscious of the record, so I learned that 300 games were only around the corner until the opening media day of this season.

When I took the helm of Woori Bank, it would have been very difficult because it was the lowest.
It was really hard. Players said it was hard, but it was hard for me, too. Honestly, there was a time when I regretted it because it was so hard. No matter how much training I did, it wasn’t my cup of tea. I think I did it until the second or third year. Even if I won the championship, I thought I could come in last again. Still, I think there will be a day today because I have a hard time.

How harsh was the training?
It wasn’t the amount of training, but it took a long time. Even though I tried it, I felt like I wasn’t good enough. I thought I should train them until I like them. That’s why the players and I think it was hard for me.

How did you feel when you won your first championship?
It was really good. I don’t remember it well, but the first time I won it was the most memorable moment. I think I won the championship because I was a coach by chance. It was good for a while at the time, but I was worried about next season. I saw a phrase in the past that if you win, you have to pay the price. After winning the championship, I understood the meaning so well. It was harder to keep it.

What’s the secret to staying on top for a long time?
In fact, I didn’t think I had to win and keep it at that time. I always spent the offseason in the same position as the first time. I hate players being lazy just because they win a championship. It’s important not to be disorganized. It’s become a habit now. That’s why some Woori Bank players say that interviews are not fun. I think young players, in particular, should learn to be humble. I still emphasize a lot now.

If you keep winning, you might fall into mannerism?
There was also a time when I fell in love with mannerism. However, this is not how I am. After winning the championship, I made up my mind to make the players feel more comfortable in the new season, but when I enter the court, it disappears. Many people around me told me that if I join the court, my eyes will turn. Players generally engage in training, which is so annoying that I cannot stand. These days, I even leave it to coaches during training. This is because I don’t want to tell others. Sometimes, I don’t go to the gym to watch it at all. I think it’s because of my personality.

What is your most memorable victory out of 300 wins?
It was the first game I played as a coach (October 12, 2012 vs. KDB Life 65-56) by chance. I saw it on YouTube recently. It was so different. I looked so young myself, and strategies came to mind again. I felt different emotions. In fact, the losing game was more memorable for me than the winning game. I regret why I did this then and why I didn’t use this player. Other than that, I don’t remember much. I am more concerned about the upcoming games.

What kind of presence is coach Jeon Ju-won who won 300 games?
Jeon knows me better than I do. These days, Jeon does everything for me even if I don’t tell him. He is like a coach. Usually, a coach and a coach are considered to be in a hierarchical relationship, but I think they go together. They usually ask me about my opinions and tell me what I miss. That’s why I feel comfortable about many things.

I know you study basketball a lot. How do you do it?
I fell into mannerism a little bit three or four years ago. It was just going with the flow. It was burdensome to try new things after playing the season with the same members for several years. But as Danbi Kim came to our team ahead of last season, I came to my senses. Then I turned around and saw that basketball changed so much. I thought I should study on my own. After that, I stopped passing the league, watched NBA, and started searching for tactics on YouTube. When I looked it up, I found out that there was a lot of information. It was fun asking my acquaintances and getting feedback. I am trying new tactics while researching what suits my team.

You achieved everything in women’s basketball, and you don’t want to move on to men’s basketball?
I can’t help but hear that, and it would be a lie if I hadn’t tried it. Including my coaching career, I had 20 years in women’s basketball. Just because I achieved everything in women’s basketball and went to men’s basketball doesn’t mean I’m not worried. Actually, I was a humble player, and I was lucky to be a coach and come all the way here. I was ashamed of myself to go to men’s basketball just because I did well in women’s basketball. I thought that I should think about developing women’s basketball and develop more players. Since I started in women’s basketball, I want to stay here until the end.

“Steady training is the secret to maintaining the top ranks”
In this season, Woori has suffered injury. In the opening game, Yoo Seung-hee, a transfer player, was out for the season due to a ruptured cruciate ligament, and key players including Park Hye-jin (knee), Park Ji-hyun (ankle), and Choi Yi-sam (ankle) are suffering from injury. Despite this, Woori is ranking second after Cheongju KB Stars (22 wins and 2 losses) with 18 wins and 5 losses as of Feb. 8. The secret to Woori’s maintenance at the top of the list despite adverse events is steady training. It was achieved through the combination of coach Wi Sung-woo’s passionate guidance and players’ sincere training attitude. Despite the tough circumstances, Woori is continuing its bid to become the president against the leading KB Stars.

We can’t leave out Lee Myung-kwan’s surprise performance?
Actually, Myung-kwan didn’t train at all during the offseason. He had plantar fasciitis as soon as he arrived at the team, and he said it would take him three months to return to the team after surgery. But after three to four months, he had pain until the opening of the season. He must have been frustrated, too. He had team training a week before the opening of the season. He planned to release him after the All-Star break because he was afraid of getting hurt after pushing the team too hard. But he did a great job. Honestly, I think it was just luck. I made him do simple things because we didn’t have good teamwork. Now he is taking responsibility for more than 30 minutes as he has gotten a lot better. He did not melt into the team perfectly, but he did his part so well. Although Seung-hee was injured, Myung-kwan’s surprise performance resulted in a blessing in disguise.

What do you want from Park Jihyun?
I saw only weak points rather than strong points. Players can use their strong points on their own. However, they can increase their competitiveness only when they meet their weak points. Six-men can only do what they are good at. Ji-hyun is different. She needs to know how to do many things. She has a dream to join the WNBA, but she still lacks good skills. She is humble and good at it, but she needs to know how to lower herself. But she is less complacent these days. Sometimes, she is strict during games. I hope that Ji-hyun will be loved by fans as a player with good personality while playing basketball.

I think we need to beat KB Stars to win?
To be honest, it is not easy. Now (Park) Ji-soo has a skillful experience. I don’t know until when it will be in the future, but there is no player to stop Ji-soo. All the other players are buying it thanks to Ji-soo. I think we were lucky and won because we didn’t have Ji-soo last season. Still, he seemed burdened when he met Woori Bank. I’m satisfied just by thinking of our team as rivals.

Did you find a solution while playing with KB Stars this season?
The solution is to have all the injured players. But it’s not easy. I think it’s hard for the other five teams to surpass the number of players in the index. Still, sports will have to be revealed only when they play together. We had a good game with KB Stars even in difficult situations this season. We have to continue to face off in the future, not this season. I always tell the players to have confidence because they are playing well.

Do you have any long-term plans even though the main members of the team are older? 메이저사이트
I can’t help but agonize over it. As I keep looking at my performance, I keep getting second place in the starting lineup. Then, I will select all the best players in front of me. There is nothing forever in the world. Someday, our team will be able to join the ranks of the lowest rank players in the mid-2000s. Woori Bank was able to select many good players. Of course, we need to be prepared. We are committed to nurturing young players by spending time with our coaches.

Is there anything you personally want to achieve?
I don’t have any. I don’t set any goals. Rather, it doesn’t go well when I set a goal. Of course, the team’s goal is to win. But my personal goal is not to win more. I have been in women’s basketball for 20 years, and I want to help it become popular again, if not as much as it used to be. My personal goal is to contribute to the development of women’s basketball.

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