Jincheon Athletes’ Village: National Team Leisure Event Review

Martina Navratilova (69, Czech Republic) is one of the great legends in tennis history.

Not only did he win 18 major singles titles, but he also won 59 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles.

Navratilova, who made a name for herself as a top tennis star, also worked as a bridge player known for her typical brain games. He revealed that he learned bridge in December 1983 from Mike Esteff, his tennis coach during his prime, and his wife Barbara. Navratilova, who had been ranked No. 1 in the world for more than four years at the time, enjoyed playing bridge with her coaches and other players. It is said that he had a stronger desire to win than anyone else, and the same was true at the bridge table. He once confessed that he was just as upset after losing in bridge as he was in tennis.

Navratilova wrote the preface to a beginner’s guide to bridge. In it, he believes that ‘you need both a strong mind and a strong body to enjoy life to the fullest.’ Bridge is not just a card game. It is a sport that stimulates the brain. “Bridge develops logic, reasoning, quickness, patience, concentration, and partnership skills,” he wrote.

When he competed at Wimbledon and the match was canceled due to rain, he kept his spirits up and relaxed by playing bridge. He says that an evening playing bridge at home with family and friends is much more enjoyable than just watching TV.

Young Korean tennis prospects who dream of becoming Navratilova had a special time experiencing bridge ahead of Christmas.

The male and female national team players, led by future national team coach Yong-il Yoon (Chairman Won-hong Joo) of the Korea Tennis Association, recently attended a one-day bridge class during training at the Jincheon Training Center (Chief Kim Taek-soo). This event, titled ‘Bridge education and introduction to the sport to improve strategic thinking and concentration’ targeting the national team and promising future national team players who are sweating hard in camp training even at the end of the year, was jointly planned by Kim Hye-young, president of the Korea Bridge Association, and the Korea Sports Council (Chairman Yoo Seung-min).

Chairman Kim Hye-young, a board member of the Korea Sports Council, became close to Kim Taek-soo, head of the athletes’ village, while serving as the head of the Korean athletes at the last Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. When Chief Kim attended the bridge competition held at the Hyundai Department Store in Cheongju last month, Chairman Kim Hye-young, who received a request for a bridge lesson for the national team, put it into practice and personally coached and played games with the national bridge team members, Seong-seok Kang, Seung-jin Noh, Dae-hong Kim, and So-ik Lee.

A total of 12 people, 6 men and 6 women, attended the event, including future representatives of Korean tennis such as karate and weightlifting athletes, Kim Dong-ju, Kim Geun-jun, Choo Seok-hyun, Ahn Seok, Shin Jeong-ho, Maeng Min-seok, Lee Eun-ji, Jang Ga-eul, Choi On-yu, Kim Yu-jin, Kwon Ji-min, and Oh Eun-ji.

This high attendance rate was also influenced by the long-standing relationship with Oh Hye-min, president of the Seoul Bridge Association, who participated in the special event that day. Chairman Oh’s son was a tennis player during his school days and knew coach Yoon Yong-il well as a senior and junior. In particular, Chairman Oh Hye-min and Chairman Kim Hye-young are seniors of the Jincheon Athletes’ Village national team, who participated in the last Hangzhou Asian Games wearing the Taegeuk symbol as the bridge national team.

Coach Yoon Yong-il said, “Tennis is an individual sport, so there is a lot of time alone, and as a result, young players often spend time on their cell phones. Bridge is a very good game where people get together, plan strategies, and cooperate, so I encouraged players to participate.”

Bridge is a strategy game where you divide into teams of 2 vs 2 and engage in a fierce battle of brains with 52 playing cards. It is called an advanced mind sport because it includes economic elements such as auctions and bidding, and requires examining the players’ cards for about three hours. Jakarta-Palembang, was an official event of the Jakarta Asian Games. It is a sport with such a wide base that it has not spread in Asia only in North Korea, Cambodia, and Laos.

About 40 national team players and coaches who attended the special bridge lecture began with basic bridge training, familiarized themselves with the basic rules, and enjoyed mini games. Village Chief Kim Taek-soo and Training Headquarters Director Kim Yun-man also participated and fell in love with the unique fun of bridge.

Han Seon-yong, captain of the Future National Tennis Team, expressed interest, saying, “I participated after being introduced by coach Yoon Yong-il. At first, it was difficult because the rules were complicated, but after playing a few games with my colleagues, my interest gradually increased. My concentration improved, and I felt the desire to win.” Shin Jeong-ho said, “The game rules were easy and it was good to cooperate and play together.” Maeng Min-seok also expressed his enjoyment, saying, “I thought it would be difficult, but it was easy and fun.” Kwon Ji-min, a promising female tennis player, gave a thumbs up, saying, “It was interesting because it was a game where strategy and cooperation, not just luck, were important.” Ahn Seok said, “The chemistry with my partner was the deciding factor. The process of collaborating with my partner was especially fun.”

In tennis, the ability to predict situations, focus, and change attention are important. You always have to focus on what shot your opponent will use next over the net, and you may have to change your strategy in an instant. Bridge is also similar to tennis in that you have to deduce your opponent’s hand and strategy and make new decisions at the right time to increase your chances of winning. Just as you have to remember card distribution and play patterns in bridge, in tennis too, detecting your opponent’s habitual play is directly related to winning the game. In both bridge and tennis, you need to find new solutions rather than simple repetition to get closer to victory.

Bridge teaches patience and emotional control, reducing impulsive reactions that can negatively affect the flow of the game. There are many studies that show that bridge helps build resilience and boosts confidence. It is an important virtue common to other sports, including tennis.

Village Chief Kim Taek-su said, “I wanted to provide a different experience to the national team players. I was proud of the players’ enthusiasm. When the players are exposed to other sports, it changes the atmosphere in itself. In particular, bridge is a mind sport that uses the brain rather than a physical exercise that uses the body. The players seemed to have fun with that. We will always provide bridge games in the lounge from now on.”

Chairman Kim Hye-young expressed her thoughts, saying, “Even after the arduous training, the national team players worked passionately to learn bridge. It may not have been easy for them to adapt as it was their first time, but I was grateful that they told me that they had fun.” Chairman Kim also added, “Bridge is a silent sport that cannot be talked about during the game. However, teamwork is important, so it is perfect for fostering chemistry. We have decided to donate related items so that national team players can easily access bridge in the future.”

President Kim Hye-young, who took over as head of the Korea Bridge Association early this year, is passionate about promoting bridges. We held 42 bridge competitions this year, up from 23 last year. The Hyundai Department Store Cultural Center has established itself as a mecca for bridge classes. Hyundai Department Store attracted attention with unique bridge events tailored to seasons such as summer vacation, Chuseok, and Christmas. The Bridge International Competition was held to successfully host Gyeongju APEC and received favorable reviews. The Seoul Youth Tournament was held, and it had the significance of being the first tournament for elementary, middle, and high school students. With the association’s enthusiastic support, the national bridge men’s team achieved the feat of placing second at the Asian Championships.

Chairman Kim’s eyes are set on 2026 as early as possible. We plan to accelerate the promotion of bridge by opening bridge classes at various sports sites, including the Jincheon Athletes’ Village. Chairman Kim expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Next year, Ulsan Science University will systematically train college student bridge members for the first time. We plan to distribute bridge as an after-school activity in elementary schools in Seoul. We also plan to cooperate with provincial and provincial offices of education to revitalize bridge sports clubs.”

Let’s go back to Navratilova. Navratilova spent many years on the difficult and sometimes lonely tour during her time as a player. Bridge was his companion on his long journey. “No matter where I went, I was able to make new friends at the bridge table. Bridge, along with tennis, is a game that anyone, regardless of gender or age, can enjoy for a lifetime.”

In the new year, why not step into the new world of bridge? Beyond being a simple card game, bridge is a brain sport that fosters strategy, cooperation, concentration and patience. Bridge has many similarities to tennis.

Just like Navratilova, Bridge can be a warm companion that helps you calm down even during hard training and meet new friends. I also plan to sit at the bridge table. Would you like to try it together?

Kim Jong-seok, Deputy Director of Channel A (Former Dong-A Ilbo Sports Department Director)

[기사제보 [email protected]]

▶ Go to Tennis Korea shopping mall

▶ Purchase tennis technique book 3 volume set at special price