Ulsan Whales took a meaningful first step together with local youth players. They worked with aspiring baseball players and demonstrated the direction of a "citizen club" on the ground.
Ulsan Whales held the "WHALES-UP youth baseball clinic" on the 22nd at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium in cooperation with the Ulsan Baseball and Softball Association (UBSA). The event was organized to improve the skills of local youth players and broaden the club's contact with citizens as the home team.
Fifty players from Daehyeon Elementary School and Ulsan Jeil Middle School baseball teams participated in the event. The club's coaching staff and players participated directly in the form of donated talent. Coaches Choi Ki-moon, Jeong Jae-bok, Kim Dae-ik, Lim Su-min, An Sang-jun, Hwang Seon-il, as well as players Min Seong-woo, Park Je-beom, No Gang-min, and Han Chan-hee coached the youth players on site.
The clinic began with a warm-up to prevent injuries under the guidance of the training coach. This was followed by position-specific training. Divided into catcher, pitcher and defense sections, they focused on teaching fundamentals and practical know-how, and the batting session shared detailed techniques and approaches that can be used in actual games.
The reaction on site was also enthusiastic. Daehyeon Elementary captain Lee Gyu-jin said, "It was really meaningful to learn directly from professional players how to throw. Based on what they taught me, I want to practice harder."
Ulsan Jeil Middle School captain Seo Jeong-yul also said, "It was very helpful to correct movements that were usually difficult. It feels reassuring to have a team in Ulsan I can always turn to for advice."
The club also emphasized the significance of the event. Director General Kim Dong-jin said, "It is very meaningful to see youth players developing their dreams by practicing directly with professional players," and added, "We will continue to work closely with the association to expand the base of regional baseball and establish ourselves as a club loved by citizens."
Having taken its first step this year, Ulsan Whales is positioning itself as KBO's first citizen club and putting coexistence with the region at the forefront. With the first youth clinic clearly showing that direction, attention is focused on its future moves.
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