[Exclusive] "Prepare the Coach's Glass and Spoon" - The Soccer Team's 'Drinking Guidelines' Born from Misguided Parental Love

When the Director Arrives, Everyone Stands Up; Parents Wait at the Entrance
New Student Parents Wait First; Seat Allocation Also Prioritizes 3rd Graders
Director: "I Never Instructed Parents... Ordered to Delete"

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Jung-yoon and Yoo Byung-don] "When the coach arrives, everyone stands up, and after the coach is seated, you may sit down." "Vice presidents of each grade, please wait at the entrance." "Do not open any bottles before the coach arrives."

A "drinking etiquette guide" being shared among parents of students in a high school soccer team in the Gyeonggi region has caused an uproar after it was leaked externally. It is well known that some sports team coaches, who hold absolute authority over students' college admissions, engage in power abuse, but this documented guide gives an indication of the extent of such behavior.

On the 15th, a "drinking etiquette guide for parents of players of a certain high school soccer team," posted on an online soccer community and causing public outrage, specifically details the protocol for drinking gatherings with the school's soccer coach. The guide advises parents attending the drinking event with the coach not to open any bottles before the coach arrives.

There is also a clause stating that everyone must stand up when the coach enters. It includes instructions for parent representatives of each grade to escort intoxicated parents outside to help them sober up.

According to the guide, parents are ranked according to their child's grade level. For example, parents of freshmen are to arrive early and wait, and are prohibited from arriving later than the coach or senior parents. There is also a provision prioritizing seating arrangements for parents of third graders and the coach, followed by parents of second and first graders.

The guide appears to have been created by parents to organize the coach's preferences regarding drinking etiquette and to pass this information on to junior parents.

When asked about the background of this guide, Coach A of the school said, "I have never instructed or coerced parents to do anything." However, A acknowledged, "I understand it was created arbitrarily by one parent," indicating awareness of the guide's existence.

A added, "I think the intention was to foster trust and respect between the coach and parents so that the children would follow suit," and "Since it looked bad in the end, I took immediate action to have it deleted." Parent B, who wrote the guide, also said, "It was created as a kind of etiquette that freshmen parents should observe at the first gathering," and "There was no instruction from the coach or coaches."

Former Korea High School Football Federation President Jeong Jong-seon, who was permanently expelled by the Korea Football Association due to embezzlement of football club operating funds and allegations of sexual violence and filed an appeal, is leaving the meeting room after completing his explanation at the Sports Fairness Committee held at the Olympic Culture Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

This school's "guidebook incident" is also an example that reveals the chronic problems in the academic sports world.

Last year, the power abuse by former Korea High School Football Federation Chairman Jeong Jong-seon, who served as the soccer coach at Seoul Eonnam High School, became a social issue. Jeong was under police investigation since May last year on charges of receiving tens of millions of won from parents during his tenure as coach. There are also allegations of sexual assault against parents. Parents testified that they were responsible for Jeong's meals and laundry.

In 2016, a high school sports team coach in Busan was caught in an education office audit for forcing parents to send funeral wreaths to the mother-in-law's funeral of teacher-coach B of the same school.