School: Yale University, Major: Neuroscience... Jang Seo-yoon Becomes U-20 Women’s Soccer Representative
“I just finished my final exam and went to Taebaek from the U.S.… I cried out of joy.”
Confident in playing as a center back, full back, and defensive midfielder… Exercise and study simultaneously
A student attending a prestigious university in the world made a surprising appearance in the Korean soccer world.
My name is Seo-yoon Jang, born in 2004, and I am currently attending Yale University in the United States.
Seo-yoon Jang, who lives in Frisco, near Dallas, Texas, moved to the United States with her family when she was two years old, and grew up there. 카지노사이트
Jang Seo-yoon, who began playing soccer at the age of 7 following her older brother, played for the club team under FC Dallas and the soccer team at Lone Star High School before entering Yale University in September of last year.
He is now a member of the Yale University athletic department ‘Yale Bulldogs’, which competes in the National Collegiate Sports Association (NCAA) Ivy League Conference.
He said that he cried profusely after taking the final exam to end this spring semester, as he was working on both academics and athletics.
I received the good news I had been waiting for.
The Korea Football Association called Jang Seo-yoon to the under-20 women's national team convocation training held in Taebaek, Gangwon-do from the 13th to the 18th.
Jang Seo-yoon's father, Jang Jin-ik, sent a video of his daughter's play to the association, and U-20 women's national team coach Park Yoon-jung, who reviewed the video, decided that it was necessary to check her actual skills and convened the meeting.
Jang Seo-yoon, who quickly finished the semester and found a flight, succeeded in making a mark through this convocation training.
He was also named on Park Yoon-jung's U.S. training camp list.
The U-20 national team led by Coach Park will leave for Korea on the 25th and play two friendly matches against the U.S. U-20 national team, which is considered the best in the world, in Los Angeles, USA.
This is practical training in preparation for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup to be held in Colombia in September.
If Jang Seo-yoon, who is confident that she can play in all areas of the backline, including center back, full back, and defensive midfielder with her height of 172 cm, continues to grow, it will be a great boost to Korea's women's soccer.
With the national team's key defenders, including Kim Hye-ri, Lim Seon-ju (Hyundai Steel), and Shim Seo-yeon (Suwon FC), all in their mid-30s, the emergence of a young defender is welcome.
Jang Seo-yoon, whom we met at a cafe near Gwanggyo Jungang Station in Suwon on the 23rd, also said, “My goal is to play for the Korean national team.”
The reason Seo-yoon Jang particularly welcomes joining the U-20 national team this time is because it is a blessing in disguise that appeared in the midst of overcoming a difficult time as a player.
Jang Seo-yoon suffered a serious knee injury while playing a game a year and a half ago.
His anterior cruciate ligament was torn, and his meniscus was also injured.
Jang Seo-yoon, who has been focusing on his rehabilitation and was only recently able to hit the field, is full of motivation.
He says he wants to further improve his physical condition and continue competing, whether for the national team or his own team.
He says that Seo-yoon Jang was selected by Yale University when he was a sophomore in high school.
In the United States, where competition among NCAA teams is active to recruit new players, officials travel around the country to persuade players several years before they enter college.
Seo-yoon Jang said, "I've been to other schools and talked to several coaches, and I liked the (Yale University) coaching staff and coach," and added, "When I actually went there, the school facilities were good and the campus was pretty, so I chose Yale University."
He said he especially liked the school's culture of not despising either study or exercise.
In fact, while Jang Seo-yoon was a player in high school, he never gave up studying.
Starting around 7 a.m., he would attend morning training for the school's soccer team, take classes, and then participate in club team training when he finished school around 4 p.m.
Jang Seo-yoon returned home around 10 p.m., finished studying for his school assignments and exams, and went to sleep late at night.
At the same time, he said, he feels the 'study pressure' more severely at Yale, where bright students from all over the United States gather.
He focused on his studies during his playing days because he did not want to lose to others, and was disappointed that he received a B in economics during his first two semesters at Yale University.
He said he got straight A's in the rest of his classes.
Seo-yoon Jang, who majored in neuroscience, said, "I'm interested in that field now. Soccer is my top priority, but I don't know how long I can play soccer, so I'm taking the time to study."
Regarding the claim that athletes should focus on exercise rather than studying to develop their skills, Jang Seo-yoon said, "It's my decision, but I think I can do both if I use my time well."
He then pointed out, "You never know when a soccer player's career may end due to an injury.
Female soccer players tend to have their careers end earlier due to chronic knee injuries."
Jang Seo-yoon, who compared the sports environment with the United States, also expressed her hope that conditions would be created in Korea for more female students to enjoy their favorite sports.
Seo-yoon Jang, who started his career as a soccer player simply because he liked soccer, said, "This may be an American idea, but the most important thing is the attitude of just living life happily."
He added, "If female students like sports, I hope they can enjoy their one and only life without worrying about what other people think," and added, "It would be good if there was an environment where that could happen."
