[Athlete Voice] Haruki Shiotani, American Football Club
Athlete Voice
Make use of your strengths, Aiming for the day when I can contribute to the team.
College of Health and Welfare First Grade American Football Club Tight End Graduate of Sundai Kofu High School, Yamanashi Prefecture
Haruki Shiotani
Main content
Inspired by his cousin's playing style, he switched from baseball to American football.
American football has always been a familiar sport to me. My cousin, who is three years older than me, was passionate about it, so I had regular opportunities to watch games. Even though I didn't know the rules very well, my cousin's play was amazing, and my admiration for him and my desire to become a player like him gradually turned into an interest in American football.
I applied to Obirin because I wanted to play football with a strong sense of purpose and to obtain a sports trainer qualification in College of Health and Welfare. In the fall of my second year of high school, I underwent surgery to remove a free articular body in my right elbow due to a baseball injury I had been doing since first grade, and I was drawn to the work of a sports trainer who had worked hard to make a comeback. Switching from baseball to football was a big decision, but my cousin encouraged me, saying, "Let's both do our best."
J. F. Oberlin University football club has a buddy system, where senior players support you with technical skills and overall university life. In the American football club, which upholds the principle of combining both academics and martial arts, it is important not only to improve skills but also to maintain a drop in performance. I often rely on them academically, and thanks to the seniors, I can enjoy university life with peace of mind.
Even if I don't understand, I want to respond with a reckless, all-out effort.
My position is tight end (TE), where I do both pass catching and blocking. My experience in baseball is useful for pass catching, but I feel I lack power when blocking. I'm working on increasing the amount and frequency of my meals to build a bigger, stronger body so I won't be overpowered. I've also realized that the muscles used in baseball are different from those used in baseball, which I played for a long time, so I'm putting a lot of effort into strength training.
What I realized after joining the team is that American football is a sport with far more to learn than I had imagined. I need to deepen my understanding of the rules so that I can move my body smoothly on the field. In my first practice game, I was confused and made some half-hearted plays. My seniors encouraged me, saying, "It's okay if you can't do it, just move with all your might," so I decided to play with all my might without showing any hesitation, even if I didn't understand everything. I'm seriously engaging with American football in my own way, such as recording practice sessions to review and taking notes on movements to review. I want to grow little by little every day and quickly become a valuable asset to the team.
With the goal of competing in a match, I'm going to step up my training even further.
The main difference between American football and baseball is the increased importance of communication. While both are team sports, baseball often requires players to think and act independently once they're on the mound. In American football, however, strategies must be closely shared, and players must be mindful of their own role and their teammates' movements. Victory is impossible without effective communication with teammates. With the team motto of "Be strict with yourself and strict with others," and the captain's words, "Upperclassman or underclassman doesn't matter during play," we make a conscious effort to proactively ask seniors for clarification on anything we don't understand and to take the initiative to share any observations we have.
My goal is to play in games next season. I'm practicing with the sole focus on catching up to my seniors, but I also feel that I won't be ready for next season if I continue like this. I want to fully internalize the role of tight end and contribute to the team with my strength in tackles, which is my strong point, so I want to shift into another gear and work hard in my daily practice.
Interview date: This was done in May 2022 for the "Obirin Sports" website.
