They dominated the TOP 8,
Aiming to be the best university team in Japan

College of Arts and Sciences 4th Grade
American Football Club
Graduate of Kosei Gakuen High School

Chikada Riki

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Even though we won the national championship, there's a lingering regret that we could have grown even more.

I started playing American football in high school. I had played flag football until middle school, so I think I had a good grasp of the fundamentals of American football. In my third year of high school, I was selected as a starting member, and the team won the All-Japan High School American Football Championship (Christmas Bowl).

However, personally, I felt a sense of frustration, thinking I could have grown more. During my three years of high school, I wasn't a particularly outstanding player. J. F. Oberlin University had a QB player one year above him. The team had also achieved second place in the Kanto region the year before I enrolled. It allows teammates to compete and improve with each other aiming for the best university championship, which also leads to my own growth. With that expectation in mind, I decided to enroll in J. F. Oberlin University.

A team where each individual can demonstrate their initiative.

In 2024, we will be returning to the Top 8 for the first time in two years. Our team slogan is "Unity." While our passion for American football remains high, we are focusing on unifying the team's direction.

One of the initiatives we're undertaking is giving each player an opportunity to reflect. Once a week, they fill out a reflection sheet I've created, noting their current challenges and any questions they have for the team, and I then provide feedback and conduct individual meetings. This was originally a role handled by the coaches, but I felt it should be done by the players themselves, so I've started encouraging them to communicate their doubts and concerns directly to me.

When we start something new, there are always questions like, "Why?" We held numerous discussions, primarily among the leaders, and shared our vision for the team with everyone. We emphasized that offensive and defensive leaders shouldn't be the only ones leading the team. We stressed that there's no point in drills being forced upon you, and that we want to create a team where each individual can demonstrate their initiative.

Overwhelm your opponent with physical strength and fundamentals.

This year, we are seriously aiming to become the best university team in Japan. We have only recently been promoted, but we are by no means inferior to other teams in terms of strength. We believe that if we work hard to improve our individual skills, the results will follow.

Our American football team has been designated as a special enhancement club for J. F. Oberlin University. We've received a lot of support from many people, so we want to give back by winning matches. They will show matches that overwhelm the top 8 in both physical and fundamental strength. Please look forward to it.

Interview date:
This was done in June 2024 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

They dominated the TOP 8,Aiming to be the best university team in Japan

Main content

Even though we won the national championship, there's a lingering regret that we could have grown even more.

A team where each individual can demonstrate their initiative.

Overwhelm your opponent with physical strength and fundamentals.

Related content

They dominated the TOP 8,
Aiming to be the best university team in Japan