I staked my entire four years of university on it. Aiming for victory in every match.
College of Arts and Sciences 4th Grade Baseball Team Pitching Leader Graduate of Ueno Gakuen High School, Tokyo
Kaikito Okada
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It is precisely because I am at Obirin that I can perform at my best.
My first encounter with baseball was when I was a child, when my father took me to the nearby Yokohama Stadium. He was instantly captivated by the brilliant playing world of professionals and thought, "Someday, I want to stand in this stadium myself," so he started playing baseball in elementary school. J. F. Oberlin University learned about the baseball club during his first year of high school at the Meiji Jingu Baseball Tournament. Seeing the players playing with a bright atmosphere unlike other universities, I thought, "I want to test my skills in this division."
J. F. Oberlin University When enrolling, I also participated in the baseball club's trial practice. What I realized after participating was that "teams that enjoy playing during matches practice diligently." J. F. Oberlin University The baseball club is characterized by more self-practice than team-wide practice. Each member analyzes their strengths and weaknesses, sets goals, and devises their own training menus. This unique practice style of Oberlin not only fostered technical skills in baseball but also fostered an attitude of "thinking and acting toward goals."
From the minor leagues to the major leagues. Two benefactors who changed my mindset.
I'm now on the first team, but when I first joined, I started in the second team. Day after day, I wasn't getting the results I wanted, and I wondered, "Why am I not improving even though I'm practicing more than everyone else?" It was at that time that my teammate, pitcher Shota Habu, reached out to me. He introduced me to a gym that focuses on body mechanics, and it made me realize that I had been practicing pitching aimlessly. It was tough to go there in between club activities, schoolwork, and my part-time job, but I thought, "If there's an environment where I can grow, I'll take on the challenge." With that in mind, I relearned how to use my body, and in the winter of my second year, I was promoted to the first team.
The game against Tsukuba University in the 2020 Tokyo Metropolitan University Baseball League Division 1 Spring League is an unforgettable one for me, as I wasn't able to pitch as I wanted and allowed many runners on base. After the game, I still remember the words of encouragement I received from former captain Matsue-san: "You can't grow just by working hard. The key players think before they act." From that day on, I started pitching with game situations in mind. The importance of each pitch changed, and my earned run average improved dramatically. I truly believe that I am where I am today thanks to the accurate advice of such highly motivated seniors and teammates.
I want to be a senior who shows through my actions that "hard work always pays off."
Now that I'm a fourth-year student, I've been appointed as one of the pitching leaders, and I'm in a position to lead a team of 50 pitchers. I'm not very good at giving instructions with words, so I try to lead by example as a senior. Speaking for myself, I was in the second team when I first joined the club, but I kept working hard and was able to get promoted to the first team. If you keep working hard without giving up, your efforts will surely be rewarded. I want to continue to lead the pitching staff, work hard in daily practice, and be a player that my juniors can look up to.
In 2021, we achieved our goal of winning the Spring League of the First Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan University Baseball League. However, this year's goal is to win the All Japan University Baseball Championship. Towards this goal, the team has been focusing on physical strengthening in our training. Currently, we are at 2 wins and 2 losses in the league season. From here on, we cannot afford to lose any more games. It will be a tough battle, but what is most important is to win every game in front of us. As a pitcher, I will put everything I've learned over these four years into my pitching, and I will steadily accumulate outs to contribute to the team's victory.
Interview date: This was done in April 2022 for the "Obirin Sports" website.
