Have you ever been a fan of the famous comic book, “Slam Dunk?” Just like the characters of the iconic comic book, anyone can become a basketball player at Korea University’s (KU) Seowoo Basketball Club. Any KU student can join regardless of their gender or major, and it is a place where players can become close friends with everyone. The Seowoo Basketball Club may be where all basketball dreams finally come true.
The Seowoo Basketball Club was first founded in 1971 as a male-only basketball team. With a long history of players, the team is known for making the relationship between seniors and juniors a very close one. This February, the team began their first recruitment for female players and managers as well. It is the first time a female basketball team has been formed at KU, thus making the Seowoo Basketball Club a unified basketball club with both male and female teams that anyone can join regardless of age, gender, or major.
How Training Takes Place
This year, many female students from different grades and majors joined to form the first-ever KU female basketball team. The Granite Tower (GT) interviewed team member Lee Soo Jin (’20, Sociology) to gain further insight into her experience on the female basketball team. According to Lee, during training, members typically “begin stretching and practice shooting, passing, working on defensive tricks, and playing games.” They also “learn the different techniques and rules of basketball because there are a lot of people who are new to the sport.” As it is the first female team, senior members who have more experience teach the players the rules and the positions in basketball before starting the physical training.
Although the male and female teams train by different rules, both teams can train together at the same time. For the male team, the players already have assigned positions, while the female team constantly changes the players’ positions. This way, the female members can have the chance to try out every position and decide which one suits them the best. Usually, when both teams are practicing together, the court is divided in half, and the two teams help each other out and even have friendly matches at the end of practice. Overall, it is a very free and easy- going basketball team where everyone learns from each other.
Under normal circumstances, the female team practices every Wednesday at Junghwa Middle School. The male team practices at Hwajeong Tiger Dome on Wednesdays with the female team and visits Junghwa Middle School on Saturdays to play friendly matches against themselves. Unfortunately, the club has announced to discontinue regular exercises at KU and Junghwa Middle School until the end of the second semester because of closure due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Currently, both male and the female teams are practicing at an indoor gymnasium in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province. If the situation improves in the second semester, all training is expected to be held again at KU and Junghwa Middle School.
The Social Aspects of the Club
The Seowoo Basketball Club’s activities are not limited to only basketball but also involve various social activities, including dinners after regular training and membership training (MT). Lee shared, “One of the main reasons I am still in this basketball team is because of the people. They feel like family to me. Although we have not had many chances to meet, we are becoming closer with each training.” For instance, during the MT, both the old and new members have a chance to meet each other and create closer relationships by playing games and enjoying meals together.
Moreover, members are able to gain a chance to get closer to players from other schools, as competitions frequently take place against other universities. This year, the male team is planning to participate in the Korean Universities Sports Festival (KUSF), which is a competition for university students only. At the competition, universities such as Yonsei University, Seoul University, and Sungkyunkwan University all compete to win the first- place award. Apart from KUSF, many friendly competitions take place between the different KU basketball teams as well, including the Korea University’s Intramural Games and the Ancient Cup Competition.
Lee also mentioned that one of her most memorable moments was her first day at practice. “It was my first extracurricular activity at university, and also my first time meeting new people in KU. It was very awkward at first because no one knew each other, but after playing together for a while, we all became very close.” Indeed, through both the MTs and practices, the team members are able to meet new people and create lasting friendships. The team also enjoys meeting together even if there is no basketball practice as they all enjoy each other’s company.
A Club for Passionate Students
The Seowoo Basketball Club recruits new members all year round. Recruitment information can be found in KU’s Everytime, an online community website for college students, or on the 2020 KU Facebook group. As there is no specific deadline for the recruitment process, students can apply anytime. Practices take place even during summer and winter breaks, so anyone willing to join the team can apply and begin practicing immediately.
The Seowoo Basketball Club is a club for anyone that has a passion for basketball. Being part of the team allows the players to take part in different competitions, training, and social activities. Even if you are not good at basketball, it is a safe place to learn and improve without feeling pressured. As Lee has been part of the female team for a semester, with her personal experience, she would recommend this club to “anyone interested in basketball or someone who wants to play a sport.” If anyone has an interest in basketball, the Seowoo Basketball Club indeed would be an enjoyable club to join.