I keep writing something while wearing sunglasses. When there is a hit or a hit, they sometimes clap and give high fives to the players, but their expressions are not revealed, so they do not know what they are thinking. He even looks cold-blooded just by seeing him caught on the relay screen. However, the eyes hidden inside are warmer than anyone else. It is because he carefully observes the minds of the players all the time even though he seems not to see them. This is the story of director Hong Won-ki of Kiwoom Heroes.
In December 2019, coach Hong obtained a psychological counselor license for the first time among professional baseball leaders when he was the head coach of Kiwoom at the time. He only intended to complete the online lectures, but he even took the certification exam.
he asked why. Coach Hong said, “He wanted to know the minds of the players first before teaching the technical part.” Director Hong waved his hand with an embarrassed smile and said, “I just memorized what I was told to memorize and took the exam.” His credentials shine even brighter when he was promoted from head coach to head coach.
One of the moments where ‘Director Hong’s’ counseling skills are being displayed is right now. Coach Hong used the expression “negative conviction” referring to pitcher and hitter Jang Jae-young, who was selected as the 5th starting pitcher for Kiwoom.
“If you say ‘don’t walk’, you’ll focus more on ‘don’t do’, and you’ll walk. You’re certain of the negative. So I didn’t say that to (Jang) Jae-young and said, ‘Come down with 7 hits and 3 runs’.” Director Hong’s explanation.
Coach Hong said, “(Kiwoom 1 starter) An Woo-jin also gives up a few walks in a game. But when Jang Jae-young walks, the word ‘control hunting’ comes out.” So, director Hong uses the word ‘match’ instead of ‘first ball’ to Jang Jae-young. It is the logic that if you hear the word ‘control’, the player only cares about ‘not being able to control’ and the problem becomes bigger.
If that’s the case, the coach can also say this, so why would the coach say it himself? According to coach Hong, it is more effective when the manager, not the coach, speaks. Director Hong said, “A coach is a person who can take responsibility for the outcome and lose if he speaks.” If the coach, not the coach, directly tells the players, “You get 7 hits today and allow 3 runs,” the players can trust and follow them even more. 메이저사이트
The ‘Hong Won-ki style’ psychological counseling does not stop at helping promising players to demonstrate their skills better. It is also used to understand the minds of sluggish players and find their skills again.
Coach Hong pointed out the names of two sluggish players during the demonstration game and analyzed it as a psychological problem, not a technical one.
Director Hong said, “It is my ‘sore finger’. A and B are young and talented players. Technically no problem. I did really well until the demonstration game, but it seems like I’m being chased by something after the demonstration game.” In the end, one of the two players decided to go to Future’s team and find his own swing with a more comfortable mind.
Coach Hong and Kiwoom players, who finished the season as runners-up in the Korean Series last year, have one goal this season. For the first time in the club, this year is full of aspirations to achieve. From free agent (FA) pitcher Won Jong-hyun to Jeong Chan-heon, reinforcements before the opening were well done. However, it is expected that Kiwoom players will be carefully managed so that the ‘warm eyes’ looking at the players through sunglasses are not visible. That’s right on the way to ‘winning’.