Seoul Children’s Home Basketball Tournament
This past Saturday was the annual Seoul children’s home basketball tournament. It was played at a large Catholic home (800+ kids having their own soccer field, basketball court, and swimming pool).
My best player, Il Ho, tore his ACL a few weeks ago playing soccer and finally had surgery last week. He was still able to show up for the tournament to cheer, and I was glad to have him there. Only two of my six boys who played were experienced, but all six gave a great effort and we ended up getting 2nd place, losing to the huge orphanage in the final (by comparison, my orphanage is about 65 kids). Despite the boys from the large Catholic home being far more skilled and experienced, my boys didn’t give up and played hard until the end. Despite losing they all said they had fun playing. I’m proud of my boys!
This was my 9th tournament coaching my children’s home. To put in perspective, the boys I coached in 2007 are all now 26 years old. Whew! Here are some pictures from the tournament (all of them were taken by Soo Hoon, who graduated from high school and moved out of the home earlier this year)…
Praying for my boys before the tournament began…
A picture from below of us praying
Soo Hoon (our photographer for the day) with Sky. Soo Hoon is now learning to be a baker and working at a Tous Les Jour in Seoul
Our best player, Il Ho, sidelined because of his torn ACL. He has kept in good spirits though and we were really happy he was with us despite having surgery just a few days earlier.
Do Kyoon, now in 9th grade
Dal Woo, now in 10th grade, he joined our basketball group just a few months ago
Watching and cheering on the side
Won Bin, now in 8th grade
Giving my boys a pep talk before the game
Meeting the boys from the other children’s home before one of the games
Game shot of Byung Ho going up for a shot. Byung Ho was by far our best player during the tournament. So aggressive, despite this being his first time playing in the tourney!
Jae Won after a game. Proud of how hard he played!
Giving Seung Hwan some love and encouragement
Group shot of my boys. Sky’s mom (on the far left) joined us as well as the boys’ dorm dad Dong Min (on the far right)
Enjoying some Korean BBQ after the tournament. My boys are in the “gotta look cool” phase and were also pretty tired. We had a great time!
