The 10th anniversary of the i-League saw hope in the grassroots
“Yewon give it to me! Pass! Pass!”
At the 2023 i-LEAGUE Football Festival held at Yongsan Children's Garden in Seoul at noon on the 7th, the 4-on-4, 10-minute match between Nowon United and Gapyeong Youth was heated. Among the boys, the clever movements of a girl in a red uniform with her hair tied up stood out. A flash of movement into the back space, Gapyeong youth coach Cho In-hwan shouted “Yewon!” as soon as the net shook. Yewon's hat trick swept the length and breadth of the pitch, and the game ended in a 3-3 draw. (Lee) Ye-won, a third-grader at Gapyeong Miwon Elementary School's Wigok branch, first started playing soccer at the 'Girls' Soccer Class' run by the Korea Sports Council last year. “It’s so much fun to run and pass. It feels really good to score a goal,” he said with a big smile. In a small school with 21 students in total, he played ball with his 6th grade brothers and his skills improved greatly in just one year, and he even realized his dream of becoming a player by participating in the i-League as a member of Gapyeong Youth Club. I saw the germ of hope in the ‘virtuous cycle’ model where elite players are produced through the club system desired by the i-League.
Soccer girls grow rapidly through i-League 'Dream of becoming a national team member'
i-League is a club league for children and youth that has been operated by the Korea Sports Council and various sports associations since 2013 to revitalize youth soccer and expand the base. Even if you are not an athlete, anyone from preschool age to youth can participate. In 2022, the i-League will be expanded to 7 sports, including baseball, softball, basketball, table tennis, badminton, tennis, and billiards, with 35,000 participants. Of these, the soccer league operated by the Korea Football Association (KFA) is the first and the way to go. 2013 This year, celebrating its 10th anniversary, over 1,200 clubs and 14,000 children and teenagers from 42 regions across the country participated from April to November. In this competition, over 600 players from 80 teams in the under-10 (U-10), under-12 (U-12), and under-15 (U-15) categories will compete on a 15m x 20m air pitch field and a small goalpost. Confronted over .
Yewon introduced, "When you come to the i-League, you can compete against a lot of teams. There are a lot of difficult teams. You can learn good things by watching the players on those teams." Along with her dream of becoming a member of the women's national soccer team, Yewon unhesitatingly called out the names of "Ji So-yeon and Son Heung-min" as her favorite players. She said, "Soccer is a cooperative game. I want to be a player who is good at attacking, and I want to be a soccer player who is considerate of my opponents."
Mother Kim Sun-min, who watched her daughter's hat-trick of beating tough boys and hitting the net, said, "I was worried because she wasn't eating well, but the best thing is that after starting soccer in second grade, she stopped being a picky eater and became stronger. She is an only daughter and has a good relationship with her older sister and older brother. “As we get along well, we develop camaraderie, and as we play more often, we become more cooperative and considerate, and it’s nice to become brighter,” he said with a smile.
Coach Jo In-hwan, who coaches Yewon, has been perfect in the i-League for 9 years since 2014. Coach Cho, who is also the mentor of national women's soccer team member Lee Geum-min, said, "The i-League is a league that makes children imagine and dream, regardless of the outcome of the game." To the children, “Good job!” "are you okay!" Coach Cho, who was constantly shouting “Help me!”, explained, “In other competitions, there is a clear difference between winning and losing, but the i-League Football Festival is really good for children of this age. It is a league where children can learn and grow while having fun.” He said, "Especially in the 4-on-4 small size game, there are many opportunities to touch the ball and the transition between offense and defense is quick, so it helps children improve their skills because they have to do everything." “At first there were 3 or 4 clubs in Gapyeong, but now 20 clubs are participating,” he said. “In fact, there are a lot of competitions for children. However, the i-League has a pure purpose, no participation fee, lots of fun things to do, and fun for both coaches and children.” “The best advantage is that it is a competition where you can develop your skills without pressure,” he said, giving a thumbs up.
A festival for the whole family, the i-League
i-League Football Festival site includes Time Attack Challenge, Extreme Zone (Air Bounce), Soccer Skill Zone (Soccer Snack, Dart Soccer, Cannon Shot, etc.), and Cultural Experience Zone (ESG Experience, Tattoo Stickers). There were plenty of diverse things to enjoy. ‘Soccer Mom’ and ‘Soccer Dad’, the whole family enjoyed the festival during the Hangul Day holiday. There was a steady stream of little soccer players visiting the Time Attack Challenge booth, where a total of five soccer skills, including shooting, dribbling, and lifting, were measured for each section, the final time was measured, and then a photo card containing their photo and record was presented. Yewon, who changed her national team uniform and soccer shoes at a booth carefully created like the national team locker room, also took on the Time Attack Challenge. I accepted a photo card with the record '1 minute 43 seconds 27' engraved on it.
It was not a festival just for children. During the Hangul Day holiday, ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Soccer Dads’ and the whole family enjoyed the Yongsan Bee Festival. Kim Yong-gap (33) and Park Ga-young (32), along with his younger brothers Min-chan (4) and Min-geon (3), came out in full force to cheer on their eldest son Min-jun (10, Eunpyeong Children's Futsal Class). The whole family wore Lee Kang-in's Paris Saint-Germain uniform and enjoyed a happy shooting game. Mother Park Ga-young said, "There are many competitions that only end with soccer, but the whole family was able to run around and play as much as they wanted without worrying about the noise between floors. We played shooting games with dad and mom, put on tattoo stickers, and did sock crafts. We played like this for over an hour." I smiled brightly. Father Kim Yong-gap said, "It was nice that there were many programs that not only children, but also adults and families could enjoy together. I am grateful to the Football Association and the Korea Sports Council for creating such an event."
Min Seong-sik, head of the youth sports department at the Korea Sports Council, said, "The i-League is a league that supports youth and youth to enjoy sports through sports clubs and daily sports leagues," adding, "Starting with soccer in 2013, it will be expanded to soccer, baseball, basketball, table tennis, and “It has increased to 7 sports, including tennis, badminton, and billiards, and currently 35,000 children and teenagers are participating in the league,” he said. "We are creating a sports culture that everyone can enjoy by participating not only in games but also in various cultural events with family and friends. The i-League, which is based on children and youth, serves as a bridge between everyday sports and professional sports. The Korea Sports Council will continue to support the i-League. “We will do our best to build a club system similar to that of an advanced country while further expanding qualitatively and quantitatively,” he pledged. He did not forget to say, "I am grateful to the Korea Football Association, which first started the i-League, for running an exemplary league for 10 years."
Ji Yun-mi, head of the women's soccer and base expansion team at the Korea Football Association, who is in charge of the i-League, said, "The soccer i-League, which started in 2013 with over 500 clubs in 17 regions, has expanded into a league with over 14,000 participants from 42 regions this year, celebrating its 10th anniversary. “He said it was a special feeling. She promised, "KFA will continue to actively support youth and youth to enjoy soccer itself regardless of the competition through participation in the i-League, shake off academic stress, and grow healthily both physically and mentally."
A total of 515 female students participated in this year’s i-League. The i-League, in which children from over 1,200 soccer clubs across the country participate, can be a solution to expanding the base of not only men's soccer but also women's soccer. All talents begin in childhood and adolescence. The i-League, now in its 10th year, is the hope of the grassroots. A good example is Yewon, who discovered soccer through the i-League after being introduced to soccer at a girls' soccer class run by the Korea Sports Council. Ji Yun-mi, head of the KFA Women's Soccer-Base Expansion Team, said, "The long-term policy direction is that the boundary between professional players and hobbyists should disappear at the elementary level under the age of 12," and added, "It is desirable to have a structure where the base is expanded and excellent players are discovered and promoted to the elite." “He said. Min Seong-sik, head of the youth sports department at the Korea Sports Council, also responded, "We will think more about how to connect and develop the girls' soccer class and the i-League in the future, and how to develop our own programs
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