Han: I would say this year’s Ko-Yon Games. When I was a freshman and a sophomore I was injured when the Annual Ko-Yon Games were held and could not play. So this year, in a sense, was my first Ko-Yon Games. Because it was my first, I was very nervous. We also lost by only one point... and so this year’s game is the most memorable one, I guess. 

 

 

Kim: Of course, this year… Because we could have given up when YU was 16 points ahead of us, but we caught up thanks to the entire crowd cheering for us. We could have won but that last shot missed the hoop, ending the game as a tie… that is what made me frustrated, that tie. I took away the win for the team this year but next year I am going to bring it. 

 

 

 

Ahn: Yes, it helps me a lot. The immense reaction from the crowd whenever we make chances causes this sudden surge of adrenaline. So there is a huge difference between having a crowd cheering for you and not having anyone

 

Kim: Definitely! When the second quarter ended with YU leading by 14 points, our team thought the game was over but then the crowd was cheering out loud. So we thought, “No, we have to catch up,” and we did our best. 

 

 

Hwang: Yes, but in different ways for different players. It may affect them in a good way, but sometimes, the players may get extremely excited and lose patience. Playing in an uproarious environment is entirely different from playing in a silent condition. That is why experience is really important in the game.

 

Hwang: There are not many games which I put much meaning into, but the Annual Ko-Yon Games is very different. We play for the honor of our school after we first enter university. Ice Hockey is an unpopular sport in Korea and the only day that the Mokdong Ice Rink is full of people is the day of Ko-Yon Games. It is the game through which you can remember the most aspiring moment of your life.

 

 

Lee: This was my first time playing in the Ko-Yon Games and playing in front of such an enormous crowd. Also, I managed to become the winning pitcher. So when I eventually start playing for a professional team, I feel that I would be less nervous and become hungry for more applause from the crowd.

 

Han: Well, this was my first Ko-Yon Games and that itself means a lot. Furthermore, because rugby is an unpopular sport in Korea, the Ko-Yon Games is the only occasion when the crowd is full at a rugby game. It was a chance to let people know about rugby as well as myself.

 

 

Kim: Ko-Yon Games is a very important experience. Being able to play in front of such a large crowd when you are a university student… that is amazing. It is something to be proud of; something I can brag about. My record is two wins and one tie and if I win next year it will be three wins and one tie. I can surely be proud that I have never experienced a loss.

 

Ahn: I am not really sure. It might just be luck. I’m just glad that I was able to save the team and I think it was my strong will to score and continuous training that enabled this.

 

Lee: Whenever I am on the pitch, I feel that it is my job to defend the lead and save the team. I would also imagine myself defending the lead or saving the team and receiving applause from the crowd.

 

 

 

Han: Attractiveness... hmm… well, it is real manly. Honestly, ice hockey is manly too. But they have all these gears, don’t they? (Laughs) Fighting without any gears, face-to-face—rugby is really manly.

 

 

Hwang: Personally, I think that ice hockey is the most dynamic among all sports. It allows physical fights or body checking, and this makes the game full of energy and masculinity. Also, the pace is really fast; it is speedy enough for the players to be switched several times within a period, not to mention that the transition between offense and defense can occur within seconds. These characteristics make ice hockey really attractive for me.

 

 

 

Lee: Honestly, what I am regretting at the moment is that… I used to swim before I started playing baseball. So if I knew I was to become an athlete, I feel that I would have done equally well as a swimmer.

 

 

Ahn: I have never thought about quitting soccer until now. I love playing soccer at the moment, and if ever get bored, I would consider quitting football then. But I just love playing soccer right now. I cannot imagine what I would be doing had I quit playing soccer.