Youth Baseball Guide' Kim Kwang-Hyun: "There's Work to Do Under the Mound Too"
Inviting 481 members of the youth baseball team and gifting them with 'memories'
Learning from watching Wainwright, who played with me in the major leagues
The people that Kim Gwang-hyun (36, SSG Landers) meets most frequently after his professional baseball teammates are 'elementary school students'.
After a home game, he meets his elementary school daughter Min-ju and son Min-jae at home. 파워볼실시간
And he has been consistently inviting Incheon area youth baseball teams to his home Incheon SSG Landers Field as a 'mercy' and having conversations.
This year, through the 'KK Dream Up Project', Kwang-Hyun Kim is inviting a total of 481 players from 20 Incheon area youth baseball teams to SSG Landers Field nine times.
He will be holding the 'Fifth Project' on the 27th.
The 'KK Dream Up Project' was planned by Kwang-hyun Kim and completed with the help of the SSG team.
Kwang-hyun Kim, whom we met at SSG Landers Field on the 26th, said, "I'm not a pitcher who throws 150 km/h from the 1st to the 9th inning right now.
It's past the time for me to improve my skills and contribute to Korean baseball," and lowered his body.
He said, "I have work to do even under the mound.
I told the team, 'I want to invite young baseball players and spend time with them,' and I'm working on the 'KK Dream Up Project' with the help of many people."
An SSG official said, "The club is providing a little help, but the person who planned this project was Kwang-Hyun Kim.
He came up with specific ideas and is really spending time with the young players with sincerity."
The young players who visit the baseball stadium at Kwang-Hyun Kim's invitation have a special time.
Although he keeps lowering himself, Kim Kwang-hyun, who is still a left-handed pitcher representing Korean baseball and who also had a successful season in the major league, personally guides the young players and introduces the SSG Landers Field dugout and ground.
He holds a 'fan meeting' for quite a while, answering questions from the young players and giving them advice.
There is also a chance to take a commemorative photo with Kim Gwang-hyun and get his autograph.
The young players who participated in the 'KK Dream Up Project' also receive 'injury prevention education.'
Kim Kwang-hyun recalled, "When I was playing in the major leagues (2020-2021), I thought, 'When I return to Korea, I want to plan a fan-friendly event. '"
In the St. Louis Cardinals locker room, Kim Kwang-hyun often saw big leaguers talking about 'How can we make baseball more popular? '"
He said, "The content of the conversation was really refreshing.
They talked about things like, 'We need to provide more sincere fan service to children,' and 'How about holding a local event? '" and "I was really impressed."
In particular, Adam Wainwright, who he was close with, even gave a 'specific example.'
Kim said, "I saw Wainwright invite 50 to 100 fans to the stadium and spend a lot of time talking to them.
I realized that it was really important to create special memories beyond just inviting them to the stadium."
In 2022, Kwang-Hyun Kim, who returned to Korea, personally proposed and implemented the 'KK Winning Plan' in which he gave gifts to fans out of his own pocket every time he won, impressing fans.
The gifts that Kwang-Hyun Kim made at the time were loved by baseball fans as 'limited editions'.
Last year, he carried out the 'KK Milestone' project, which gave special gifts to fans every time he set a major record.
This year, Kwang-Hyun Kim decided to give 'young players a special experience'.
He poses quizzes tailored to the young players' level and naturally leads the conversation.
Kwang-Hyun Kim said, "I pose quizzes about 'strikeout not out' and 'infield fly' that even professional players sometimes confuse, and give gifts to young players who get them right.
Young players are so knowledgeable about baseball that they are often surprised."
He continued, "When I was in elementary school, I just enjoyed playing baseball, but these days, young players set specific goals," and revealed, "At fan meetings, they ask very specific questions like, 'What should I do to get good at baseball?'
What kind of training should I do to get good at throwing changeups?', and 'Tell me about your training routine before a game.'"
To a young player who said, "Baseball is fun, but repetitive training is boring," Kim Kwang-hyun advised, "A player who can endure that boring training can stay on the field for a long time without getting injured.
Major leaguers still do that boring training every day.
If you build a solid foundation like that, you can do well in actual games."
The advice from the 'superstar' can be engraved more deeply in young players.
Kim Gwang-hyun is also planning to expand the 'Dream Up Project' to young players, middle school players, and high school players outside of the Incheon area.
He said, "I'm confident that I can get to the level of an elementary school student.
I think I can create a program that would be helpful to high school students because they have clear goals," and added, "But I'm a little scared of middle school students.
Many players hit a 'boredom point' in middle school, when they have 'about five years of baseball experience'.
I'm worried that I'll say 'bitter words' to a middle school student who's hit a bored point."
Just as Kim Kwang-hyun broadened his horizons by watching Wainwright, the 'good influence' is spreading in the SSG locker room.
Kim Kwang-hyun uses his own money to buy 'kids' gloves' for young players.
In addition, SSG's junior fielders are donating batting gloves for the 'KK Dream Up Project'.
Kim Kwang-hyun said, "Senior Choo Shin-soo, who has already done a great deal of good deeds, has taken care of many things.
Many junior fielders, including Choi Ji-hoon and Park Sung-han, are also willing to donate their baseball equipment," and expressed his gratitude, saying, "This is an event that I planned with my name on it, but so many people are helping. 온라인카지노
I am also very grateful to my juniors."
The young players who look at Kim Kwang-hyun with sparkling eyes are also grateful.
Kim Kwang-hyun said, "Maybe it's because I'm an elementary school parent, but I really enjoy spending time with the young players," and smiled brightly, saying, "It feels like I'm not spending time, but receiving energy from the young players."