Park Cheol-woo's "appointment as coach," which even surprised him, was revealed for the first time at a fan meeting, with even greater emotion waiting ahead: "The players did not find the word 'championship' strange."

*This content was translated by AI.

Park Cheol-woo (41), who was appointed as the fifth head coach of the men's professional volleyball team OurCard OurWON, shared his reflections on a fan meeting that turned out to be more moving than expected.

Director Park Cheol-woo recalled his memories from five days ago, stating at the inauguration ceremony held on the 16th at the Korea Press Center located in Taepyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, "I knew a fan meeting event was taking place. However, I was truly surprised and moved by the way the event was announced. Jeong Mal (Auditor)."

Woori Card Vixens announced the appointment of Coach Park Cheol-woo to fans in advance during the 2025–2026 season fan meeting held on the 11th at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.

It was an unprecedented event in Korean professional sports, one that seemed to have happened only a few times. Typically, news such as a coach's appointment is disclosed through exclusive reports or official press releases issued by the team. However, OurCard added significance by informing the 210th members of the 2025–2026 season membership who gathered at Jangchung Gymnasium five minutes before distributing the press release.

In response, a Woori Card team official simply stated, "We wanted to share the news of the new head coach appointment first with the fans who support and cheer for the Woori Card volleyball team."

The five-minute advance screening event delivered effects exceeding expectations, generating explosive resonance not only among fans present at the venue but also among 'Jangchung-i' (the nickname for Woori Card fans) who could not attend.

Even for the individual who had no prior connection with Our Card before joining as a coach last year, the team instilled a sense of loyalty and belonging. Coach Park Cheol-woo said, "I don't really remember what I said back then. I was truly in a state of confusion," yet he bowed his head and added, "I am Jeong Mal (Auditor) to have been able to start my coaching career with Our Card."

The team's surprise event held even greater emotional impact. Head Coach Park Cheol-woo stated, "The most important part was that the players did not find the word 'championship' awkward. Everyone who went out (in front of the fans) said, 'We will return with a championship,' 'We will bring back the trophy,' and 'Jangchung will be with you all again at this spot next year.'"

Woori Card has not won a regular season title or a championship since its founding in 2008. Its achievements are limited to runner-up finishes in the 2020–2021 and 2023–2024 seasons, and two KOVO Cup titles (2015 and 2021).

The season began with difficulty this year as well. However, after Coach Park Cheol-woo took command as interim head coach, the team achieved an 8-game winning streak on the road and finished the second half with 14 wins and 4 losses in 18 matches, making a dramatic advance to the spring volleyball playoffs. The confidence that emerged from the players as they overcame low expectations naturally shone through.

Coach Park Cheol-woo smiled, saying, "I believe that if you are an athlete, you must always live with the thought of being number one and winning in your heart. In that respect, I felt that the athletes' mindset has changed significantly."

He added, "The first and second elements of the ideal volleyball I envision are teamwork. Regardless of which players are involved or which team it becomes, my dream is to build the Woori Card Volleyball Club as a cohesive team. I promise to do my utmost to enable Woori Card to form a Woo Seung-ha-go (왕) team."

Finally, the head coach also conveyed words that he could not bring himself to say to the Jangchung players at the time. Coach Park Cheol-woo stated firmly, "I believe that our professional sports have no value without fans. Players must clearly understand this. If they do, I believe the answer to how I should approach games and what plays I should make is already clear."

He added, "Many fans will love a player who is truly willing to burn their soul and set their body ablaze. Our WeCard Volleyball Team will do our very best to deliver the highest quality play for our fans. And we hope that fans will continue to visit the arena regularly. Players gain the most energy and are able to perform their best games by sharing the same breath with fans in the gymnasium," conveying his sincere feelings.

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*This content was translated by AI.