Hello. My name is Ihan, and I am currently a Grade 9 student at École Dr. Charles Best Secondary School. My favourite subject in school is French as I love learning new languages and being able to communicate with others. I was originally born in Seoul, South Korea and I moved to Vancouver with my parents and my little brother when I was three years old. I have a younger brother and a little sister, who was born here in Vancouver. Since my family originates from South Korea, we really value respect. Even the smallest things like paying attention to someone or helping someone with something they’re struggling with, we believe that it will come back to help us in the future.
I have a huge passion for soccer. I currently play as a centre back for the Port Moody Soccer Club 2011 Boys BCSPL Team. During my time at the club I have learned tons of new things, met loads of new people and have made so many wonderful memories. Some of these memories include when we went to Europe together for two weeks and when we lost in the provincial final because I made a terrible mistake (sorry guys). This sport has taught me so many things whether it be resilience, belief or leadership, I owe a lot to all my coaches and teammates for helping me become the person I am today.
In my free time, I love to sleep and hang out with my friends. Since I’m a huge procrastinator, I often stay up late during the school week finishing assignments, so I try to catch up on sleep whenever I can. I’m a deep sleeper — on weekends, I can sleep for ten hours straight without interruption. But when I’m not catching up on rest, I enjoy spending time with my friends. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what we do — whether we’re playing soccer, watching a movie, or just grabbing something to eat — it’s always a good time.
I would rather be the worst player on the best team than the best player on the worst team. Being surrounded by talented teammates pushes me to grow, improve, and learn. When I first joined my current team, I was definitely the weakest player. I would slow down the play, lose possession, and my confidence took a hit. But watching how hard my teammates fought at every training session — like it was their last — inspired me. I started to push myself harder, and slowly, I began to improve.
Being the worst on a great team gives you motivation and role models to learn from. On the other hand, being the best on a bad team might feel good at first, but it can hold you back. You don’t get challenged, and your ego might grow, but your skills won’t. I believe true growth happens when you’re uncomfortable — and being the worst on a strong team forces you to rise to the challenge.
The category that I would like to do this semester is Inquiry.