[Choi Min-gyu's Baseball Prism] Should the Term 'Coach' Be Used in School Sports?

A term used for coaches in all sports in Korea... translation originated from Japan
But in the US, where the term was born, it is used only limitedly in professional baseball
Questioning whether it suits educational settings for training players

In baseball, the manager holds an important position. This is evident even in the baseball rules. From the very first section, "Definition of Baseball," the word "manager" appears. "Baseball is a game played under the supervision of one or more umpires between two teams, each consisting of nine players (or ten in the designated hitter system), managed by a manager, in a field enclosed by fences, according to these rules (Baseball Rules 1.01)."

The manager is defined as "a person appointed by the club who is responsible for the conduct of their team on the field and represents the team in discussions with umpires or the opposing team (Baseball Rules 2.50)." Baseball is a sport born in 19th-century America. The term manager is a translation of the English word "Manager." The staff who assist under the manager play a supporting role and are distinguished as coaches.

In Korea, the title "gamdok" (manager) is applied not only in baseball but also to similar positions in almost all sports. The Standard Korean Language Dictionary defines it as "a person who directs the entire work and takes practical responsibility in movies, theater, sports games, etc." In the United States, however, "manager" is an exceptional term. In major professional sports leagues other than baseball?such as American football, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer?the manager is called the "Head Coach." Even in baseball, the term manager is used only in professional leagues. In high school and college baseball, the term used is Head Coach, not manager. Globally, the English word for a manager is "Head Coach." The only exception is English football (soccer), where the term manager is used to distinguish the person responsible not only for game strategy but also for overall team operations.

The term coach, derived from a four-wheeled carriage, implies teaching physical fitness or skills. It originated in the early 19th century at Oxford University in England. The improvement of players' skills to the next level was likened to the operation of a carriage. American football began in the mid-19th century at colleges in the eastern United States, and basketball was invented in 1891 by the YMCA, a Protestant youth organization. Thus, the term coach was naturally accepted.

On the other hand, baseball started in social clubs in American cities. These clubs required adult members to have a certain level of skill. The term coach, which implies teaching students, was not suitable. The first baseball rules established in 1845, the Knickerbocker Rules, did not include the word "manager." Instead, one player was designated as the captain.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Among the members of the Knickerbocker Club who created these rules were many descendants of British and Dutch nobility. Their professions included financiers, lawyers, architects, journalists, and other elite classes. Even Chester Alan Arthur Jr., a member who was a lawyer, was not of noble blood but was the son of the 21st President of the United States. Baseball gradually transformed into a sport for the working class. Companies, concerned about productivity losses due to the widespread drinking habits among workers at the time, competitively promoted baseball. Writer Bill Bryson humorously described this process as "it became clear that manual laborers had a significant advantage in strength and endurance over stockbrokers."

Baseball teams also evolved from social clubs into businesses that attracted spectators and generated revenue. Consequently, the responsibility for leading and managing players increased. The title of manager, a corporate administrator, appeared in baseball teams. One of the main duties was establishing discipline. Players who violated rules were fined and suspended from games.

According to the authoritative "Dickson Baseball Dictionary," the term manager first appeared in baseball journalism in 1876. That year, the National League, the oldest existing major league, held its inaugural season. The National League was fundamentally different from previous leagues in that it was a league of professional baseball clubs rather than an association of players. The rules adopted by the National League at that time included the word "manager." In earlier league rules, as in the Knickerbocker Rules, the captain fulfilled the role of today's manager.

In the early days, many managers were also players, and sometimes team owners served as managers. Many managers had no playing experience. A coach was someone who taught players, and a captain was the player with the best skills or leadership. However, the manager, as an administrator, placed less importance on playing experience. As the job became more complex, business-related tasks were separated and assigned to a business manager, now known as the general manager. This system followed the management style of American companies around the Civil War era, operating with a president and two managers responsible for accounting and labor.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Korean translation "gamdok (監督)" was created in Japan. Yukichi Fukuzawa, who founded Keio University, coined this term in his publication "Seiy? Saij?" between 1866 and 1870, meaning "a person who guides, supervises, and controls." The term was derived from the biography of Sun Wu in the Book of Later Han. It is closer in meaning to "manager" than to "coach."

The term gamdok was introduced into the baseball world later. Sports writer Hiroshi Oshima stated, "It is estimated that the term gamdok was first used in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League in the 1920s. Before that, the English words manager and coach were used interchangeably." Baseball was the most popular sport in Japan at the time. Therefore, it is presumed that the translation of manager as gamdok came to be used in other sports as well. In China, coach is translated as "jiaolian (?練)," and head coach as "zhujiaolian (主?練)." Considering the original meanings, these seem to be more appropriate translations.

In Korea, which experienced Japanese colonial rule, the term gamdok is used not only in baseball but also in other sports and even in school sports. However, there is a sense of incongruity. The term gamdok, or manager, originates from American corporate baseball. It refers to a responsible adult who leads others. School sports are educational settings, and student athletes cannot be treated merely as future professional athletes. The harmful effects of Korean school sports, which have produced "sports machines," have been clearly revealed by the repeated misconduct of star players. It is worth questioning whether the term "gamdok" truly fits school sports.

Director, Korean Baseball Society