The 2nd Annual SNU Women’s Football Tournament -- Sha Cup was held on September 27-28 of this year at the football field of the university. A total of ten women’s football teams from diverse universities around Seoul participated in this tournament hosted by the SNU Women’s Football Club (SNU WFC). SNU WFC came in second among the ten teams.

SNU Women’s Football Club

Established on September 9, 2010, SNU WFC has grown from a team that had barely the required eleven players to actually play a full-field match to one that has over thirty members and holds its own tournament. Its reputation has grown too. SNU WFC is known as one of the most formidable women’s football teams alongside the likes of Korea National Sport University’s FC Cheonma and Ewha Women’s University’s E.S.S.A. (Compared to other universities, such as the previously mentioned FC Cheonma and E.S.S.A, SNU WFC is a fairly young team.) While SNU does not have a strong sports profile compared to other universities, in the area of women’s football, SNU WFC is considered one of the top teams. However, in comparison to SNU’s men’s football team, the women’s football team suffers from a lack of perennial funding and support.

SNU WFC’s Influence On and Off the Field

One of the qualities that makes SNU WFC a reputable women’s football team is not only the number of cups and tournaments it has won but also its ability to host its own tournament. Because of the lack of interest and consequent lack of funding in women’s football, especially university-level women’s football, there is a dearth of competitions available. Just two years ago there were only two competitions in Seoul for university-level women’s football teams to participate in. Therefore it was difficult for teams to get enough practice and improve. Recognizing the need for more competitions for university-level women’s football teams, SNU WFC took on the challenge to create a cup organized by the team for university-level women’s football teams. In the summer of 2012 the first SNU Women’s Football Tournament was held. (Because it served as a trial, the organizers decided not to name it as the “first” annual tournament in case it would not continue.)

However, the SNU Women’s Football Tournament was a great success. Apart from the smooth progress with minimal injuries during the two days, SNU WFC also won first place. Thus, a second tournament named the ‘1st SNU Women’s Football Tournament’ was held in September 2013. This tournament would see an increase in participation, with the total number of teams participating increasing from the original 12 the year before to 14. (Although more football teams expressed their interest in participating, because of the field and time restraints, only a total of 14 teams were accepted.) That year SNU WFC received the 3rd place trophy.

Continuous Success

This year’s tournament, the ‘2nd Annual SNU Women’s Football Tournament – Sha Cup’ was as well received as the previous ones. It also received a distinct title, ‘Sha Cup’, which is the name of an important icon of the university, the main gate ‘Sha’ structure. As evidence of the success of the previous tournaments, there was an increase in funding from various companies that specialize in sporting goods, refreshments, and beauty products. With the usage of SNS and special football apps, match results and photos of the event were published almost instantaneously. There is no doubt that the SNU Women’s Football Tournament is becoming an increasingly influential tournament that allows bright young women football players to practice the sport they love. Despite the challenges it has faced throughout its short history, SNU WFC has been able to accomplish more than many of the older, more established teams. The future of university-level women’s football looks very promising, with SNU WFC playing an influential role in the process.

Written by OH Jung Eun, SNU English Editor, josefinaoh@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com