SeeSaw Club

My visually impaired teammate had not played in a year. He mentioned it while we sat and waited. I originally assumed a year off would probably take a toll on his performance that day. I was wrong as he was tracking the ball the moment it left the bat, anticipating where the ball would be before I had worked out which direction it was coming from. He reminded me once again of the extraordinarily acute hearing visually impaired players have. But it is not his skill I keep remembering. Every point we won, he shouted "Nice shot!" It was always loud and instant, no matter how 'lucky' the point had been. Out team name was 덤벼, roughly meaning "bring it on," a bold thing to write as a name before winning anything. By the end of the day it felt pretty accurate. We had won, and I was happy about that for maybe ten seconds. No, maybe twenty. What really stuck with me was his reaction because he spent a year away from the sport, and the first tournament back ends like ...

 On Saturday, August 8th, our seesaw club members participated in the annual showdown game. When I saw my team, I was a bit surprised to see that the teammate I was with last time was my teammate once again. Both of us were on the younger side of the members, so to be honest, I didn't have high expectations. When we were choosing our name, our 3rd member, who is visually impaired, clicked instantly with us. Our team name was 야르, which is a Korean slang term that was the catchiest out of all the names. This gave me a sense of hope that we were going to do well with this energy. When we entered the room, I was anxious and hoped that I wouldn't have to end the game- I didn't want the pressure. In some games, we did well. In some, we struggled. However, what I thought was so great about our team was the encouragement and energy our team had. No matter how bad we played and how many games we lost, we were capable of bringing the best energy for sure. Luckily, our team placed 2nd...

  On August 8, I participated in the 10th National Showdown Cup Tournament with my volunteer group. It was already my fifth time participating in a Showdown tournament, but the moment I stepped into the competition room, I felt like I was playing the sport for the first time. I was nervous. Even though I had played Showdown before, competing in an actual tournament felt completely different. I could feel myself overthinking every move, and at first, I was much more anxious than I expected. But as the games went on, I slowly became more comfortable. I started to trust myself more, and with every hit, I could feel my confidence and energy building. What made this experience especially meaningful was being on the other side of the game. Last time, I participated in Showdown as a volunteer, helping and overseeing visually impaired athletes as they compete. This time, however, I was the one holding the paddle and standing at the table. For once, I wasn't watching the athletes from the o...

 This year marked my third time volunteering at a Showdown competition for individuals with visual impairments. Although I was already familiar with the event, each experience has taught me something new. Going into the competition, I thought I understood what to expect, but I always leave realizing that there is still so much I can learn from the participants. Throughout the day, I helped organize the competition, guided participants around the venue, and made sure everything ran smoothly. While these tasks may seem simple, they allowed me to interact closely with the athletes and witness their determination firsthand. Their confidence, focus, and resilience were inspiring. Rather than letting their visual impairment define them, they approached every challenge with positivity and independence. What continues to stand out to me is how much perspective I gain every time I volunteer. The participants remind me not to take everyday abilities for granted and to appreciate the opportun...

  On June 28th, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the 2026 Seoul Mayor's Cup National Blind Showdown Tournament, a national competition where visually impaired athletes compete in the sport of showdown. Through this experience, I was able to support athletes, learn more about the sport, and witness the incredible dedication of professional players. During the tournament, my main responsibility was assisting visually impaired athletes by guiding them between different areas, such as the game courts and waiting areas. I helped ensure that participants could move around the venue safely and comfortably. I also helped manage the environment around the courts by keeping doors secured and preventing unnecessary disturbances during matches so that players could stay focused. One of the most memorable parts of this experience was watching professional showdown players compete. Although I had experienced playing showdown myself as an amateur, seeing the game at a professional level was ...

When people think of sports, they imagine sports as something they watch on TV or a huge sports stadium full of cheers and screaming. However, spending an entire day in the Showdown-cup game room will provide a completely different insight, that sports can also be experienced through sound.  The first thing I noticed when I walked into the room was the constant rhythm of balls rattling across the table, bats striking the ball, and teammates quietly communicating with one another. At first, they were just background noises. But as the competition went on, those sounds began to tell a story. Every swing of the bat reflected the athletes' passion, determination, and the countless hours they had spent practicing. My role was to oversee the competition and guide visually impaired athletes throughout the day. Since I stayed in the game room the entire time, I naturally started paying more attention to what I could hear instead of what I could see. Listening to every hit, every roll of th...