Goalkeeper Cho Hyeon-woo (Ulsan Hyundai), striker Son Heung-min (Tottenham)!”
There is a special player (developmentally disabled) who started as a goalkeeper, but this time as a striker. This is the story of Song Joon-seok (30), a member of the integrated soccer team of the Professional Football Federation.
The ‘2023 Special Olympics Korea K-League Unified Soccer Clinic’ was held on the 13th and 14th at the Jecheon Soccer Center in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do. A total of 200 athletes from 10 teams visited Jecheon City for this event hosted and supervised by the Federation and Special Olympics Korea (hereinafter referred to as SOK).
After a simple recreational program on the first day of the event, the team played a friendly match on the 14th. The format of the game was 11-man football, played for 12 minutes each. There are also rules unique to integrated soccer. The squad must be selected with 6 special players and 5 partner players. Replacement is possible at any time, but only within the same position. Then, the partner player’s consecutive goals will not be recognized안전놀이터. If a partner player scores a goal, a goal is recognized only when a special player scores the next goal. Consecutive goals are allowed for special players.
Song Joon-seok, who was active as a member of the federation, hit the ground as a special player. In society, Mr. Song, who is in charge of a nursing home assistant job, was introduced by the welfare center earlier and joined FC Boramae (Federation and Seoul Municipal Welfare Center Integrated Soccer Team). Song Joon-seok said, “The meaning of this event seemed so good. I especially enjoy playing with my partner,” he said.
Song Jun-seok’s position is goalkeeper. But on this day, he came out as a striker. He said, “I originally like goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo, but I was so moved by Son Heung-min’s performance at the last World Cup in Qatar. He said (seeing the World Cup team advance to the round of 16) made him dream of playing football.”
Song Joon-seok played as a striker in the match between the federation and Daejeon. The match ended in a 0-0 draw. Song said, “Although he was nervous, he will continue to work hard. He added that he will continue to work hard at soccer and faithfully do the job he is currently in charge of.”
Kim Dong-hyun (30), an intern in the federation news support team who responded to the interview together, participated in the event as a partner player. As a player, he could not play in the game due to regulations, but he helped the players train. Kim Dong-hyun, an intern, said, “I participated in several events, but it was the first time I was with a special player like this.” “The special players are all very passionate. It was a good experience to be able to serve together while laughing and having fun.”
Intern Kim Dong-hyun said, “For 2 days and 1 night, we talked a lot on the bus and in the accommodation. I haven’t had a chance to get close to special players, but I think I’ve seen a lot of their lives. Everyone seems to have become friends after coming here.” Song Joon-seok also said, “I had a lot of conversations with my partner players through training. I learned a lot at the clinic the day before,” he said.
After the interview, the two players headed to the ground with a smile for the next game schedule. The federation ended the schedule with a 0-0 draw against Chungnam Asan.