“Be a good coach, not a good coach.”
Yoo Yu-jun (42), who was at kt Wiz from 2016 to 2021 and played an active role as a reliable older brother for kt’s lineup, will start a full-fledged leadership career as a hitting coach for kt Future Steam from the upcoming season.
In the 2021 season, Coach Yoo Yu-jun, who beautifully retired after playing kt’s V1, watched baseball outside the ground, not on the ground, building power analysis and front work experience with the support of the club last year.
“A player and a coach are completely different,” said Coach Yuhan-jun, who we met on the 6th at the Iksan National Baseball Training Center where kt Future Team training is underway. When I was a player, I only had to take care of myself, but now I have to look after all the players. It’s been about a term now, but time is passing like crazy.”
Coach Yuhan-Jun was called synonymous with consistency during his active career. In particular, during the 6 seasons he played for kt from 2016 to 2021, he played 726 games, recording a batting average of 0.315, 772 hits, 77 homers, 407 RBIs, 320 points, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.844, showing his best performance as a veteran. His career batting average is also over 30%. 슬롯사이트
Coach Yuhan-jun said, “The players here are also very talented. It is difficult to pick just one player, but the players are motivated and just want to be of some help in their own way.” It is a learning stage now,” he said.
Next to coach Yuhan-jun is kt Futures coach Kim Ki-tae, who was the first left-handed home run king in the KBO. During his active career, coach Kim Ki-tae recorded a batting average of 0.294, 1,465 hits, 249 homers, 923 RBIs and 816 runs in 1,544 KBO games. He also won the Golden Glove a total of 4 times (1992~1994, 2004). He was named in both the KBO 30th Anniversary Legend and 40th Anniversary Legend.
Coach Yuhan-jun said, “Coach Ki-tae Kim is a leader and an expert in hitting. He is learning well. The coach told him to be a good coach, not a good coach. I feel that a good coach should lead the players well. Sometimes soft, sometimes strong. I am thinking about how I can help the players.”
“Futures players have a long way to go. The road to first team is not always easy. I want to be a partner in helping the players achieve their dreams by trying hard sometimes and softly with the players.”
Lastly, coach Yuhan-jun said, “It is important to have a good swing, but I think it is important to develop players who can fight at bat. I plan to learn more, work hard, and do my best for kt to become stronger.