"I'm the only one who can be captain." I've practiced with that conviction ever since I joined the baseball club. Having served as captain of the baseball clubs in elementary, middle, and high school, I also believed that I could lead my teammates through my play. However, shortly after Coach Hiroyuki Tsuno entrusted me with the captaincy, I suffered an elbow injury that prevented me from playing in games.

Perhaps seeing my struggles, on New Year's Eve 2020, I received an encouraging email from the coach. He wrote, "I know there will be difficult times, but let's build a strong team." I was surprised by the suddenness of it, but I replied with a vow, "We will definitely win the championship!" and made this exchange my phone's wallpaper. Even if I can't play in the games, my role is to lead the baseball team to victory in the league. I encourage the team members who are practicing late into the night, and during games, I cheer on the players louder than anyone else from the dugout. Whenever I feel weak, I take out my phone and look at the promise we made to motivate myself. To repay the kindness of being appointed captain, I will do everything I can to win the championship and carry the coach on my shoulders at Jingu Stadium.

Since the fall of 2016, the baseball team hadn't won a league championship. However, I don't think Obirin is weaker than other universities. Since it's a student sport, there isn't a huge difference in strength. Of course, baseball skills are important, but I believe that "character"—putting your all into even the smallest things like studying, greeting others, and cleaning—is what will ultimately lead to victory. This is something I tell the team members many times.

Also, when I was an underclassman, I rarely saw upperclassmen getting seriously angry. The lack of barriers between seniors and underclassmen is one of the good things about Obirin, but this can also lead to "familiarity" and "loosening of discipline" among underclassmen. I make a point of being strict with my fellow fourth-year students, and I make sure to get seriously angry in front of everyone. I never get angry at underclassmen. This is because I believe it is better to convey strictness through a tense atmosphere among upperclassmen rather than directly scolding underclassmen who are in a weaker position. I also believe that having peace of mind and approaching baseball with composure leads to growth. I want to leave a lasting impression on the underclassmen who look up to me and call me "Kyo-chan," showing them that the current fourth-year students are seriously aiming for the league championship.

The baseball team is a large organization, with 50 members per grade and sometimes exceeding 200 members in total. It's important that everyone works towards the same goal, but in the past, some members who couldn't make the bench became indifferent to the game results, and there was also a problem with the difference in the quality of practice between the first and second teams. So, we tried to improve things so that everyone could have high-quality practice by appointing members with strong character to leadership positions in the second team and by participating in the second team meetings myself. As a result, the exchange of opinions throughout the team has become more active, and I think we are gradually seeing positive results.

In this year's spring league, we won the Division 1 championship for the second time in nine seasons. This is a testament to the team's growth. This league season reaffirmed that baseball is not just a game played by nine players, but a "total war" where everyone, including those in the stands, is united. Some people say it's "thanks to Matsue," but I believe everyone is a star. Looking ahead to becoming the best in Japan, I don't need to be the star of this team. I want to be a "shining sun" for the team members, someone who can encourage everyone and lead the Obirin baseball team to victory.