Canadians enjoy playing football in Korea: Seoul Warriors

On a soggy Saturday af ternoon in late March, approximately 35 wound-up Seoul Warriors willclashed in their first contact practice. It’s a picture that wouldn’t have looked out of place taken 9,500 km west but this Seoul-based team filled with mostly expats competes in the Korean National Football League this season.

The Warriors are led by Jason Brae don. Noticing no shortage of hockey and rugby teams in Korea for expats, Braedon and others decided it was time to expand the scope of American football. From April to June and late August to November, Braedon and his 34 teammates will meet once a week.

Competition is tough. The KNFL features teams that have been playing together for years under the same systems. The players are recruited from colleges in Korea that also play similar systems. The Warriors bring together a more varied background of players, systems, and languages, adding to the challenge for the team. We have players from Australia, Korea, America and Canada who vary in skill set from 1st time players all the way to players who have had professional tryouts.

“I believe that football teams are amongst the purest forms of a true team; they help build ca*maraderie, respect, and reduce mental fatigue amongst the participants,” said the 34 year old. “I have played football in North America and Korea, and decided it was time to put together an expat team here similar to the hockey and rugby teams that exist for expats.”

Some might not think that a sport as physical as football would have the effect of improving camaraderie among teammates and competitors. Braedon says otherwise. “Football is a sport that pushes you to your limits, but when you love it as much as our group does, the hurt that comes from it is heavily outweighed by the sense of accomplishment as a team, goodwill and friend ships that it engenders.”

When Braedon isn’t tossing touchdowns, he’s a professor. Expats, he says, need a way to relieve the pressures that come with living and adapting in a foreign culture.

This year will be the Warriors’ 2nd campaign in the KNFL and the players feel excitement and anticipation. The KNFL consists of college teams and a non-college club division. There are approximately 36 college teams and 6 club teams. The college division and the club division have a separate championship game, the winners of which square off in the Kimchi Bowl, the overall national championship.

Park Kyung-kyu, president of the Korea American Football Association, said in a previous interview that football has come a long way here. “In 1966, 43 years ago, there were only five college teams, whereas now there are 36 col leges that have American football teams,” he said. Although football is still not nearly as popular as soccer or baseball, it has been gaining notoriety. But Park admits that his dream of football being one of the top sports in Korea might not happen any time soon. “Maybe not in my life,” he said. As president of the KAFA, Park said he has the difficult task of organizing American football’s college and club leagues, gaining much-needed sponsorship, and boosting fan support.

Braedon says Koreans and expats have a lot to teach each other. “The league in Korea now is mainly made up of Koreans, so bringing more foreigners into the league will help us both. Koreans can learn more about American football and how it is played, and how we as Americans/Canadians interact while doing it. Foreigners can learn more about how Koreans interact with each other in sports, and in social settings.

“Respect is paramount in football for your teammates and your opponents; interaction in football between foreigners and Koreans can only help us to understand, respect, and trust each other more.”

For young football players coming out of college with the difficulties of job hunting and student loans, Korea can be a great place to start after university or college. Teachers in Korea make good money, more than enough to service student loans, save some money, and live comfortably with paid housing. Add in the benefit of being able to play football year round at a central Seoul location, and the advantages of coming to Korea start to add up. Should you have any questions, please contact the team at [email][email protected] orwww.seoulwarriors.com.