9/21/2009
One Day Softball experience LPG Lee Se-mi in Korea
On 20 August, I went to the play ground of Ilsan Information Industry High School. Because I had promised with the sport dream of Ilgan sport newspaper to receive Softball lesson during one day. As a matter of fact, I heard about Softball for the first time in my life. They say it's similar to baseball…... I was more or less anxious about it.
I shared hello with players of Softball group of Ilsan Information Industry High School. Director Her, Mi-Jin was a member of national Softball team and now teaching a national Softball team as a coach. At first time, I started to throwing a ball. Strangely enough, softball was fluorescent color.
The size was bigger than I thought. Diameter is below 10cm, I heard like that. But I could hardly hold it with my hand. I murmured, holding is just difficult, and how can I throw this?? Furthermore pitcher of Softball usually throws a ball in direction of ground, not like pitcher of baseball who throws a ball over the shoulder.
I felt some awkward motions while I am throwing a ball by taking steps just like in walking. Nonetheless the ball began to fly to the center field as I did just as coach taught me. Hmm, of course I have a sport sensitivity….
Next was hitting. Softball bat was made of light aluminum and it was not difficult to swing it. First moments I did not hit the ball that coach is throwing to me but I could hit the ball one by one. When the bat sounds ‘bang, bang', I felt indescribable thrill.
I thought 'this is fun of Softball'. As Her coach praised me 'I'll pick you up in national team ', I began to smile by myself. The Secretary-General of the National Softball Association of national daily life athletics, Jang Nam-Je said, “I'd let her take a role of publicity ambassador”
Defense training and running major bases were not so difficult at first moments, but it became more and more difficult, because of hot weather, and dropping sweats… I was confident in my physical strength even though usually I was not enjoyed sports. Though it was short hours, I could have fully enjoyed the attraction of Softball today. It is a sport for woman not at all difficult, or risk of being hurt.
One thing lacking is that there is a place in nowhere to enjoy Softball around us. I heard that comparing with Baseball, Softball needs more small spaces and facilities. So I hope there would be many Softball facilities so that this sport would be a publicly favorite sport.
Softball looking at through numbers
20- The history of Softball in Korea. The Korea Softball Association was organized in Feb.1989, and that year it became a half participating group of the Korea Athletic Association. In 1995 it became legal participated group and Softball has been accepted as an exhibition game of the National Athletic Festival since 1996.
33- Team number registered in the Korea Athletic Association. Primary, middle, and high school teams are 14, 10, 7 each, and adult teams are just 2 of the Kyeongnam Athletic Association and the Busan Athletic Association.
80- Softball clubs. It looks about 1500 members of common interest clubs are playing Softball. Softball has merit that every people can enjoy it regardless of their ages and sex. Especially, in case of ‘slow pitch' Softball that pitcher throws ball over his head slowly, there is a merit to hit the ball easily. In case of slow pitch, it is unique that there are 4 outfielders since there is the 10th outfielder, that is to say the shortfielder(or the short center).
100- The pitcher Park, Soo-Yeon(Sangji university), a member of national Softball team, once became a topic of public conversation by recording a pitching speed of over 100km/h for the first time as Korean player. Ball speed of top rank players in the world arrives at 120km/h, but, anyhow Pak, Soo-Yeon recorded a ball speed beyond 100km/h for the first time in Korea.
■ Semi
- Date of birthㅣFeb. 24, 1984
- Place of birthㅣSeoul
- Heightㅣ172cm
- Real nameㅣLee Se-mi
- Academic careerㅣGraduated in Anyang Art high school, Studying at the Broadcasting & Entertainment department, of the Dongduk Woman's University - DebutㅣEBS teenagers drama 'Tomorrow'
- Enrolled groupㅣ5 members woman group LPG2nd
-CareerㅣCable channel Olive 'Olive show' season 2·3 MC
Appeared as friend of Seo In-yeong of MBC program 'Introducing friend of star'
MBC 'section TV entertainment communication' reporter
KBS2 weekend drama 'Condition of affection'
In filming movie ' Filling station attacking incident II'
Kim Hyo-Gyeong reporter[kaypubb@joongang.co.kr]
Translate Korean into English by KOREA PONY ASSOCIATION - KOREA SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SPORT FOR ALL - President, Kim , Young-Woong
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