Daegu Chilseong Elementary Wins 'National Youth Baseball Tournament' Title After 21 Years

The Daegu Chilseong Elementary School baseball team, led by Principal Gong Youngsoon, claimed the national championship for the first time in 21 years by defeating Busan Suyeong Elementary School 5-0 in the final of the '2025 U-12 National Youth Baseball Tournament,' which concluded at Uljin Jukbyeon Baseball Stadium on July 14, 2025.

The '2025 U-12 National Youth Baseball Tournament,' hosted by the Korea Baseball Softball Association and organized by the Uljin County Sports Council and the Uljin County Baseball Softball Association, featured a total of 67 teams nationwide in the under-12 division and was held over ten days from July 5 to July 14, 2025.

Players of the Daegu Chilseong Elementary School baseball team, who won the national youth baseball tournament, are gathered together for a commemorative photo.

Although there were concerns early in the tournament that advancing to the finals would be difficult during the Geumgangsong League preliminary round, the team showcased powerful batting by scoring a total of 39 runs in four preliminary games and demonstrated flawless defense by allowing only 3 runs, securing their place in the finals.

In the top-six tournament, the team proved their outstanding perseverance and solid teamwork by achieving walk-off victories in extra innings against both Chungbuk Seokgyo Elementary School, this year's gold medalist at the National Youth Sports Festival, and the powerhouse Seoul Gadong Elementary School.

In the final, starting pitcher Lee Seojun (6th grade) and reliever Baek Juwon (5th grade) shut down the opposing lineup with remarkable pitching. After taking the lead in the second inning and maintaining a close one-run game through the fifth, the team secured victory in the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run by leadoff hitter Kim Minseok (5th grade), followed by a three-run homer from Lee Doyoon (6th grade).

This championship provided the Daegu Chilseong Elementary School baseball team with the valuable experience that any challenge can be overcome when everyone works together. Under the guidance of Coach Lee Sangho, who encouraged the players to "enjoy the game from now on," the team played with joy, which ultimately led to their championship win.

Principal Gong Youngsoon, who attended the game in person, stated, "The deep support from parents and the passionate guidance from our coaches led to this positive result. I hope that the Daegu Chilseong Elementary School baseball team will continue to develop and become a truly prestigious baseball team. We will continue to support our players so that they can demonstrate their best abilities as student-athletes."