“’Choi Zemo’, it will be forever!”
A powerful cry resounded in the night sky of Andong in midwinter. The faces of the teachers and disciples who shared the affection of a priest were full of smiles. A strong sense of happiness was evident in the way they hugged each other tightly, leaving behind the regret of the farewell and making a promise for a year later. It was the moment when master and disciple came together as one.
The final piece of the beautiful scene that brought warmth was the rinse. At the affectionate lifting of the disciples with plenty of respect for the master, the master’s heart as if flying in the sky was filled with satisfaction.
It was 3 hours that I don’t know when it went by. It was a time when the teacher and students who created the ‘Legend of Andong High School’ in the high school soccer world looked back on the splendid day and talked as if they did not know the end. The disciples expressed their gratitude, saying that they could not forget the teacher’s teachings and grace, and the teacher caressed each one of them with affectionate eyes, who had grown wonderfully as equals in Korean soccer.
It was a reunion after 3 years. It was a place of meeting that I had been looking forward to while struggling with the Corona 19 pandemic. Since its inception in 2013, it was a hot spot that continued the severed pulse of ‘Choi Je-mo (a group of disciples who love director Choi Gun-wook)’ who constantly gathered and shared the priest’s affection every year.
On the 17th, the night in Andong was only warm. In the story that the teacher and the disciples share kindly, there was no time to dig into the cold in the middle of winter.
“I will make ‘Choi Je-mo’ to honor Master’s grace while maintaining vitality forever.”
In the 1990s and 2000s, Andong High School was a legend in high school football. In 1992, after taking the first step of winning the traditional Blue Dragon Middle and High School Competition, he burst into the lion’s roar showing off the ‘Andong High World’ for about 20 years. He left a dazzling footprint of about 50 semifinals, including 13 championships and 7 runners-up.
In the background, there was coach Choi Geon-wook (64), the best hero of high school football. Under his training, Andong High School transformed and made a name for itself as a prestigious high school soccer player. In addition, it has established itself as the ‘cradle of the national team’. Leading by Choi Yoon-yeol, outstanding players such as Kim Do-gyun, Kim Jin-gyu, and Baek Ji-hoon, who contributed to promoting Korean soccer, poured in one after another. Jeong Seung-won (Suwon Samsung), who was named on the Korean national team participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is also one of his disciples. In particular, Andong-go’s chant increased as Kim Jin-gyu and Baek Ji-hoon were selected for the Korean national team for the 2006 Germany World Cup led by coach Dick Advocaat.
When the moon is full, it leans. Andong-go, an absolute powerhouse, also declined as a sinabe. The decrease in the total number of students due to the outflow of the population from the big cities was the cause. As the number of soccer teams had no choice but to decrease, maintenance itself became difficult. In July 2016, after participating in the Presidential Geumbae, Andong High School faced the misfortune of disbanding.
He, who seemed to know how to bend, couldn’t help it either. However, he did not give up on the path of the ‘winner’. He has been teaching and nurturing other Korean soccer resources as the founding coach of Daeshin University since October 2020 after going through Yeongyeong (now Yale Meditech) High School.
The former disciples could not forget the grace of the teacher who devoted himself to fostering Aeoraji talent. This is the background of the birth of ‘Choi Je-mo’, the crystallization of respect and love. Since the first meeting was held in December 2013, about 40 to 60 retired students and active players gather from all over the country every year to reminisce about those days and create a ‘memory field’ filled with warmth and warmth. do. 토토
‘Choi Je-mo’ was formed under the leadership of Kim Jin-kyu, the head coach of FC Seoul. All students are of the same mind, but Chief Coach Kim’s respect for his teacher is especially strong.
“Not only me, but all the disciples are thinking the same. Everyone looks up to and loves the director to the extent that they say in one voice, ‘If the director wasn’t here, we wouldn’t be where we are today.’”
In the early days of Choi Je-mo’s launch, head coach Kim covered most of the expenses. Of course, it was a burden that I did because I wanted to, and with a willing heart. After jumping into the professional world in 2003, head coach Kim, who has donated dozens of padding pads to his alma mater every year to help high school juniors warm up in the winter, had no hesitation in his heart toward his mentor.
Now, all the disciples contribute a part. It shows that the disciples became one with respect for their teacher.
“As you enter the path of a leader, you seem to understand the director’s difficulties to some extent. When I think of the time when I couldn’t follow the director’s words, I feel apologetic. If I have any questions while teaching the players, I still feel happy when I call the coach and receive instruction.”
It was drawn in front of my eyes that his leadership theory, which led Andong High School and dominated the whole area, was being succeeded by his disciples. To the disciple’s candid and affectionate confession, the master also responded.
“I am impressed by the great mindset of Head Coach Kim who tries to find the role of a leader in motivating players through constant communication so that they can demonstrate their full potential. Can you say that I taught my students well? (laughs)”
Nationwide, it is difficult to find a meeting where master and disciple come together as one for a long time to exchange respect and love like Jemo Choi. I hope it will remain as a heartwarming story in history for its permanence as much as its rarity. Head coach Kim was confident.
“Until the day any of my disciples, including me, are still alive, ‘Choi Je-mo’ will remain alive and will remain as a place of meeting where Master’s grace will not be forgotten.”