Yeongdeok High School Soccer Team Achieves National Championship Victory After 42 Years

Director Choi Hogwan's Leadership: Growth of a Prestigious Team with Local Government Support and Sponsorship

The Yeongdeok High School soccer team claimed their first-ever national championship title since its founding in 1982 by defeating Ulsan Hakseong High School FC 3-2 in the final match of the 61st Cheongryonggi National High School Soccer Tournament, held on the 2nd in Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam.

Yeongdeok High School soccer team is celebrating their victory at the 61st Cheongryong National High School Soccer Tournament.

After finishing first in their group during the preliminary rounds, Yeongdeok High School went on to beat Gwacheon High School from Gyeonggi 2-0 in the round of 16, and Dongnae High School from Busan 2-1 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they overcame their regional rival, Gyeongbuk Natural Science High School, with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory to advance to the final.

Their opponent in the final was Ulsan Hakseong High School FC, a powerhouse that finished as runner-up in the 104th National Sports Festival last year. Yeongdeok High School fell behind after conceding two consecutive goals in the 7th and 28th minutes of the first half, but managed to pull one back in the 39th minute, and then scored two more goals in the second half to complete a dramatic comeback victory.

Since 2017, Coach Choi Hogwan has led the Yeongdeok High School soccer team with a coaching philosophy that emphasizes character and attitude, as well as outstanding leadership. Under his guidance, the team achieved remarkable results, including runner-up in the 51st Busan MBC National High School Soccer Tournament in 2020, runner-up in the Muhakgi National High School Soccer Tournament in 2021, and runner-up in both the junior and senior divisions of the Presidential Gold Cup National High School Soccer Tournament in 2022, firmly establishing Yeongdeok High School as a powerhouse.

This year, the team continued to display its strength by finishing as runner-up in the 2024 Spring National High School Soccer Tournament, being selected as the representative for Gyeongbuk in the 105th National Sports Festival, and winning the first half of the 2024 Daegu-Gyeongbuk Regional National High School Soccer League. With these achievements, they finally lifted their long-awaited first national championship trophy, cementing their status as the top high school soccer team.

Yeongdeok-gun's unwavering support has also been a key factor in Yeongdeok High School's rise to prominence. Yeongdeok-gun has provided financial support to elementary, middle, and high school soccer teams, and especially since the 8th popularly elected administration, has increased the scale of support to foster the growth of soccer as a signature sport in the region.

Additionally, sponsorship from the Yeongdeok County Sports Council and Yeongdeok County Football Association, as well as financial backing from the self-organized Yeongdeok Soccer Supporters' Association, have been significant sources of strength.

In June, the Yeongdeok High School soccer team gained valuable experience through a training camp in Japan, made possible by private financial support from the Football Association and the Soccer Supporters' Association, where they played matches against Japanese high school teams, university teams, and professional affiliate teams.

Kim Kwangyeol, the county governor who has a special affection for his alma mater's soccer team, expressed his emotion at the championship site, saying, "Coach Choi Hogwan and the players have achieved a historic accomplishment," and added, "To ensure the continued development of the Yeongdeok High School soccer team, I will work to expand support in cooperation with the county council, the Office of Education, the school, and private organizations such as the Sports Council, Football Association, and Soccer Supporters' Association."

The Yeongdeok High School soccer team is scheduled to play their first group stage match of the 2024 National High School Soccer League King of Kings Tournament against Geochang FC from Gyeongnam at Andong University on the 13th, and will also represent Gyeongbuk in the high school division at the 105th National Sports Festival to be held in Gimhae, Gyeongnam in October.