SeeSaw Club

                In August of 2026, I entered my fifth WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup. Having obtained 2nd place in the previous tournament and first place the one before, I was eager to reclaim my title as the Showdown Champion. Like I always had done, I greeted the regulars and picked out my equipment. My Pro this time was relatively new to SEESAW, so I was very excited to discuss with him. It turned out that he, like me, was an avid athlete of cross country; he engaged in marathons, sprints, and even trail running. At that moment, a sudden wave of concern came over me; I questioned my teammate on how he was able to safely navigate the many twists and turns, as well as tripping hazards like loose roots, that existed on the mountain. I knew that such features were dangerous for the visually impaired. In response, the man chuckled and said, "Yes, it's one of the hardest things I have done! But with a guide, and through numerous walkthroughs of the a...

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...

I recently participated in a volunteer event featuring hand cream and diffuser crafting activities. We were given a set of materials and amples of various scents to add to the base of the hand creams and diffusers. Volunteer assistants helped the visually impaired participants choose the scents they liked by reading out the name of the scents, and helping them smell it. There was also a proffessional instructor helping us through the process, recommending us specific combinations and helping us craft the items. As a result, the activity went very smooth overall, and it was a quite an unique experience for all of us.

On May 30th, I participated in an art workshop with the visually impaired, in which we made hand cream and defusers. I got paired with a very extroverted and funny grandmother whose sense of humor seemed to align almost perfectly with mine, making the experience deeply enjoyable and memorable.  The part of this workshop that really stood out to me was when we chose the scents we would use. Her sense of smell seemed incredibly acute as she was able to remember and differentiate which scent was which with accuracy and speed, showing how much people can adapt their different strengths to engage in an activity.   Through our minute conversations and shared laughter, I clocked her personality early on, which made us connect better and gave the activity more meaning overall. It was truly an extraordinary experience. 

 On May 30th, our club gathered to help the visually impaired create hand creams and defusers. They both had something in common; they both required our sense of smell. Despite being visually impaired, participants were very sensitive to the scents and the small differences each had. My partner and I were working as a team to bond in the process of choosing scents and working together to drop them inside the small bottle. This activity not only helped us create defusers and hand creams; it helped us realize the importance of smell. Despite the blind people having difficulty seeing what was done, they were still able to participate with their sense of smell, which was very impressive. Also,  during this activity, I bonded with the woman I partnered with. When she found out that I had trouble with cold hands and feet, she introduced me to different ways of massaging and keeping myself warm. She was able to turn the cold into heat through her massaging skills. Later on, I found o...

During this activity, I worked with visually impaired individuals to make oil hand cream and air freshener. While the activity itself seemed simple, it became a valuable learning experience that helped me better understand the importance of accessibility, communication, and inclusion. Throughout the process, I learned how important it is to provide clear verbal instructions and explanations. Since many participants relied less on visual information, I had to think more carefully about how I communicated each step. This experience made me realize that activities often designed with sight in mind can be adapted so that everyone can participate fully and independently. One of the most memorable parts of the activity was choosing and mixing different scents. As scent was such an important element of both the oil hand cream and air freshener, everyone was able to express their own preferences and creativity. It was enjoyable to see how each person created something unique while sharing thei...

Coming back to my second WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup, I definitely felt less panic and more presence.  What stunned me the most was what happened during the breaks between rallies and matches. Every time we had a timeout, I would ask my visually impaired partner what I was doing wrong and what skill I should use in the next turn. Each time, he was able to explain exactly what I could fix like the small changes in angle or bat positioning. It astonished me every time that even while playing in complete darkness, he understood the angles and dynamics of the game more acutely than I did. However, something about his mindset stood out even more. Despite understanding the game at such a deep level, he never seemed to obsess over the score or focus on every little mistake. Instead, he consistently encouraged our team to keep playing the way we did and simply enjoy the game. His priority was not the result or perfect; rather, the experience and joy itself.  His attitude ultimately ...

The 9th WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup was hosted on the 21st of February, 2026. Despite having played the tournament three times, the nerves still came on before each match. Instead of viewing that anxiety as a weakness, I realized it was an indication that the event actually meant something to me.  This year, it seemed there were many more competitors, including my sister, who participated in this event. Most Seesaw members developed their skills with practice, thus making the matches not only quicker but more strategic. All of this required quick reactions, clear thinking after every rally. To top it off, one of the most meaningful portions was playing with visually impaired athletes. It was an environment that fostered communication, patience, and respect. It also reminded me that sports can be a potentially strong connector of people and a bridge to understanding ones with differences.  For me, it was a special experience as it was the third time for me, and that my sister part...

  The past week, the SEESAW Committee was given the wonderful opportunity to partner with the WILL organization, in what would be a friendly round-robin style tournament of the famed sport Showdown. Personally, I am relatively a somewhat experienced member of this sport, which works to captivate those exposed to it not through simple means but rather a variegated lineup of aspects. Underneath the seeming disadvantage of the sight-blocking glasses lies the gift of utilizing one's auditory and physical senses. The game consists of two players, each with a paddle to try and hit the ball into the other's goal; the ball is fitted with seeds in the interior, so that one with sufficiently honed ears could perceptively maneuver the location, orientation, and mobility of their craft. Such a game may seem like a slow listening procedure, but the reality features a far more rapid, physical, and hardcore experience; as certain visually impaired professionals of the game sport special techn...

  Participating in the showdown cup this year felt different from my past experiences. Although I was still nervous waiting in the darkness for the ball to be served, I felt more prepared and confident than ever. This year, instead of focusing on winning, I remembered to relax, enjoy, and trust my hearing. As the game continued, I concentrated solely on the sound of the ball and did not let myself lose that focus. Because of this, I was able to react more quickly and play better than expected. In the end, my team’s efforts paid off and I was proud to win a second place. However, what made the experience truly meaningful was not the result, but the opportunity to once again walk in the shoes of the individuals who are visually impaired. Through this event, I was reminded of the incredible abilities of people who are visually impaired and the importance of empathy and awareness. I hope that Will Showdown Cup strives to grow and become more widely known. I want people to be aware tha...

On February 21st, 2026, I competed in the 9th WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup, and it was already my fifth showdown. Every year, I think the nerves will go away, but they don’t. Before my matches, I could feel the anxiety creeping in—overthinking mistakes and questioning whether I was really ready. However, at the same time, that nervousness reminded me how much this experience means to me. What really stood out this year was how much the level has grown. All of our Seesaw members were genuinely much more skilled and had improved significantly throughout our practice sessions. The rallies were much faster, the strategies smarter, and there was barely any room for error. It wasn’t just physically challenging but also mentally exhausting. I had to stay focused every second of each match. Beyond the competition itself, interacting with visually impaired players was always the most meaningful part. Being present in that environment pushed everyone to communicate better and to see ability differen...

On November 16th, our club volunteered at a program where I helped visually impaired adults make natural soaps, and it turned out to be much more meaningful than I expected. Instead of just doing the work for them, I had to describe each step clearly—like how the melted soap felt, how strong the scents were, and how to safely pour the mixture into molds—so they could be as hands-on as possible. I guided their hands gently when needed, but also gave them space to try things on their own, which taught me a lot about patience and trust. The room smelled like lavender and citrus, and even though some steps were slow or a bit messy, everyone laughed and encouraged each other. Seeing how proud they were when they held the finished soaps they’d made themselves made me realize how small actions, like explaining carefully or offering an extra hand, can help someone feel more independent and included. It was a reminder that volunteering isn’t just about “helping,” but about sharing an experience...

 On November 16th, I took part in the Seesaw soap-making session with members of the visually impaired community, and I did not know what to expect at first. Since it was my first art workshop, I felt a bit unsure. Nonetheless, my partner's friendly attitude made it easy to settle in after we greeted each other.  We used the lavender scent for both soaps and chose a heart mold and a rectangle mold. The funniest moment happened when I was tried giving him a little bit of my soap, but the whole cup suddenly poured out. Though it looked like a mistake, the shape came out perfectly and we both laughed.  The room felt warm as the soap scents filled the space steadily. As we continued working, we got closer and closer, with each interaction  bringing a small laugh or smile. At the end of the session, I gave him both soaps and my magnetic soap holder. He seemed genuinely thankful for the gift, making the experience even more meaningful to me. My main takeaway from this was ...

On November 16th, I participated in a Seesaw volunteering event where we made handmade soap with members of the visually impaired community. By mixing molten soap with different scents and pouring them into rubber molds, we were able to make soaps of different shapes and pleasant scents. One thing that stood out to me during the activity was how coordinated and skilled the visually impaired participants were throughout the process. Despite my initial assumption that the activity might be challenging for them, my partner showed amazing skills, and he ended up making two soap bars that looked better than my own! Overall, it was a fun and meaningful experience for both the visually impaired community and our Seesaw team.

On November 16th, our Seesaw team volunteered in a soap-making activity with members of the visually impaired community, and it ended up being so much more meaningful than I expected. We worked with natural ingredients and molds shaped variously such as hearts and diamonds. The room smelled so warm and calming from all the essential oils we mixed in, creating a soothing environment for all of us. While making the soaps, I had the chance to talkwith a lot of the participants – asking if it was their first time, what kinds of soaps they usually use, and which scents they liked. The conversations were simple but genuine, and they made the whole activity feel more personal. We laughed at little mistakes, shared reactions to the strong scents, and helped each other pour the mixtures into the molds.  When the soaps were finally ready to take out, the results were honestly very pretty – smooth colorful, and very fragrant. Even though some participants couldn't see the shapes clearly, they...