Nippon-Ham On the 23rd, Nao Miyanishi pitcher (40) of the “Japan High School Athletes Association (JHSA)” talked about the unique charm of high school baseball in his series “Yuou Maishin” (meaning “to go forward with courage” in Japanese). Koshien He also revealed his own secret story from his days at Amagasaki City (Hyogo).
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I feel that high school baseball was a special three years in my long baseball life. I spent almost every day with my teammates and devoted my youth to baseball despite various temptations. I was able to overcome the hard practices because of my strong desire to stand on the stage of Koshien. Seeing these ballplayers trying to achieve their dreams is always inspiring to me, no matter how old I get. This time of year is the middle of the Koshien regional tournaments, and I think this is the most enjoyable time for the 3rd year students. I know there is a lot of tension and pressure, but I want them to forget about that as much as possible and enjoy playing.
Looking back on my high school days, I remember spending most of my time running. After overcoming rigorous training, we made it into the top four in the prefecture in both autumn and spring, and entered the summer tournament in my third year as a favorite to win, but just before the tournament, our No. 4 hitter, who was the core of our batting line-up, broke a bone during gym class. The team members’ morale plummeted, and I, the ace, ended up catching a cold just before the tournament, which was the worst case scenario. In the end, we lost in the best 16, and I felt a lot of responsibility. I remember wiping away tears in the corner of the stands, where no one could see me.
Of course, I feel very disappointed, but looking back now, it’s just one of those funny stories. It’s been more than 20 years since I retired, but I always get together with my coach and teammates at the end of the year and have fun talking about those days. Of course, winning is important, but the process of working so hard to aim for Koshien is also important, and meeting “ball friends” who will stay with me for the rest of my life is also a great asset.
High school baseball is also an educational opportunity to develop human strength. It is true that many third-year students, who have shared the good times and the bad for three years, do not make the bench. I think the players who did not make the team are filled with regret, but they do not give up and continue to support their teammates. I want to convey that this is a truly wonderful thing as a human being, and that this experience will definitely come in handy when they become adults. On the other hand, I hope that the players who are playing in the game will never give up and see it through to the end.
Unfortunately, my school lost, but at my age, I really want all high school students, including those in Hokkaido, to do their best. What I want to tell all high school baseball players is to have no regrets and never give up until the very end. Winning and losing is important, but it’s not everything. I sincerely hope that they will have the best summer ever with the best teammates. (Miyanishi Naoki)
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AloJapan.com