Women’s Hockey Team

[Anchor Lead]

Korean athletes are making final preparations with feelings of nervous excitement as they count down the 100 days to go til the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The women's ice hockey team stands out among the field of competitors. The team consisting of members from all walks of life, including a former pianist, competing in the Olympics for the very first time.

[Pkg]

The women's national ice hockey team was established in 1998. In the early years, the team even lost to a boy's elementary school team. They were barely recognized. However without social interest or support, Korea's one and only women's ice hockey team endured the past 20 years.

[Soundbite] Hwang Bo-yeong(Fmr. Women's Nat’l Ice Hockey Team) : "We were the national team representing the country but our equipment was completely outdated and our pants were worn out because much of what we used were from the men's team."

The team finished last among five teams that competed in the 2003 Asian Winter Games held in the Japanese Prefecture of Aomori. It scored just one goal while giving away 80. But things began to change this year at the Sapporo Asian Winter Games in February. Korea had once lost to China 30 to nothing, but in the Sapporo games, the ice hockey team scored a dramatic victory over China in a match that extended into a penalty shootout.

[Soundbite] "It's a goal, a goal. The game is over. Park Jong-ah has finally scored a goal."

The team's makeup is quite interesting. One athlete gave up her dream of becoming a pianist while another makes a living working part time at a convenience store. But they have been devoted to training and the result finally showed. The team has a single goal for now, and that's clinching a victory against Japan in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Korea is competing in women's ice hockey in the Olympics for the first time after earning qualification as the host country. Rival teams are Japan, Sweden and Switzerland.

[Soundbite] Kim Jeong-min(Korea Ice Hockey Association) : "Regardless of outcome, this team really deserves applause. I hope they can perform well so they can draw attention and cheers."

[Soundbite] Han Soo-jin(Women's Nat’l Ice Hockey Team) : "It's just the beginning now. No one knows what the future holds."