Two weeks before arriving in Korea, Clint Johnson got a call to coach the Korea National Cheerleading Team. His schedule had just opened up- so he took the perfect timing to try something adventurous and he jumped on the challenge. Starting his passionate career as a cheerleader at the University of Missouri in 1991- he has left behind him an impressive history in the State of Missouri teaching camps, coaching varsity and acting as state director of Universal Cheerleading. As you can see Clint is well suited for the job, but faces a difficult task ahead of him. Aside from only having four weeks to prepare for the Nationals in Orlando, Florida- this is the first year that Korea has been fitted with a National cheerleading team.
Cheerleading is not an entirely new concept in Korea- it can actually be seen all around you. If you’ve visited any basketball stadium or baseball park, you have seen intensely spirited dancers cheering on your favourite teams. Or perhaps, you’ve driven past the opening of a new store and saw a team of dancers drawing your attention to new deals that await you inside. But what Clint is faced with now- is turning a particularly dance and cheer filled routine, traditionally deemed “Korean style” into an equally stunt-based routine to compete on an international level.
I luckily had a chance to meet the team during one of their practices at Kookmin
University and sat down for sam-gyup-sal at a neighbouring restaurant. I pulled up a seat next to Kim, Min Uk- a student from Anyang Technical College and he introduced me to the team. He told me that the majority of the team is made up of high-school students but has a few teammates in college, one of them being Byeon, Woo- Jin who is also a member of the musical Jump. The team has grown into a family over the past few weeks together and lunch is just another chance for them to enjoy time together.
It’s an interesting story as to how this team was formed- being that cheerleading has been around in Korea for some time without a national team, two students took the initiative to shed light on the idea. Choi, Hyojeong (Rose) and Kim Minji (Unyss) of Choongshim International Academy contacted a coach in the states and flew him in to begin working out routines. This began to gain some attention and eventually brought Ivy Lee, the President of the Cheerleading Association into the picture. She held a festival for athletic students and chose the best students to create a national cheerleading team. Some of the students’ backgrounds were not in cheerleading, they just happened to be overall athletic individuals and passionate.
With the competition only days away the excitement has kicked in. Even though they are a new team who are still learning an entirely new routine and on such short notice- they are overtly positive and eager as they bounce around the gymnasium. As I got up to leave, I gave them my dose of encouragement the only way I knew how after living in Korea for the last year and a half and shout out “Fighting”.
You can watch the National championship and cheer on Korea from the comfort of your home at www.Varsity.com on Friday, April 24th at 11am, Florida time. Fighting!
No comments:
Post a Comment