Baseball-Amazing players close to you, a distant professional world Chunichi Dragons, Yota Kyoda 1 | 4years. #University sports

This serialization “Professional talks 4 years.” Is Yota Kyoda infielder (26) of Chunichi Dragons. In 2020, when he won the rookie king in 2017 and became the player’s chairman, he will be the only team to participate in all 120 games, and this season is expected to make a leap forward. 4years. Shinichiro Kasakawa, the leader of the baseball cheering squad, approaches his life as a baseball player. The first of the four serializations is from childhood when I grew up in Ishikawa prefecture to high school when I went to Aomori Yamada.

I met me when I was in college. He belonged to the same Tohto University Baseball League. By the time I of Rissho University third grade, “Hello! It is we’ll! Kyoda heard is interesting but it is people! Rumor, thank you!”. He suddenly called out to me on the ground. “Of course I know! I’m a big fan, thank you,” he returned to Kyoda at Nihon University, one year younger. It is friendly and talks with hakihaki. The atmosphere overflows from the uniform and standing appearance. He was definitely a special player. Since then, the days of games and conversations on SNS have increased, and I respected him as a baseball player, not as an opponent, and he is an important ball friend. When I was a comedian, there was a day when Kyoda’s wife came to see the live performance. Even after graduating, I went to Jingu Stadium to see Kyoda’s play, and even after I entered the world of professional baseball, I was inspired by his appearance.

Baseball is played in jersey

Kyoda was born in 1994 in Nomi District, Ishikawa Prefecture (currently Nomi City). From an early age, my father took me to the park and enjoyed playing baseball. He joined the local youth baseball team from the second grade of elementary school, but said he didn’t want to join the team at first. “I didn’t want to wear a uniform because it was natural to play baseball in jersey (laughs). I was fooling around saying,’I don’t want to wear this kind of baseball!’,” He recalls. However, my friend enthusiastically invited me to practice the team. The position is shortstop from the beginning. As the grade went up, he also served as a catcher and pitcher, but he said, “Short is the best. I’ve always liked shortstops.” He was more particular about shortstops. When I was in elementary school, I said, “I didn’t realize that I had higher physical strength or skill than those around me, and I really enjoyed playing baseball.” However, I spent every day experiencing the joy of the sport of baseball.

Joined Nomi Shirayama Boys in junior high school. It is a baseball team that was newly established when Kyoda became a junior high school student. The reason was “I wanted to do it with a new team that has nothing yet. The rest is the influence of Mizumoto (string). Mizumoto has been very good in the area since elementary school. Mizumoto is this When I heard that I would join the team, I wanted to play baseball with the same team because it was such a big player, “he said for two reasons.

Mizumoto served as captain of Osaka Toin High School (2012) and Asia University, who won consecutive spring and summer championships at Koshien, and is currently playing for Toho Gas. For Kyoda, he is both a friend and a rival. The existence of such Mizumoto was great. He made it to the quarterfinals at the Boys National Tournament, but said, “I’ve always wanted to go professional, but I couldn’t imagine myself becoming that kind of person. I wanted to go to Koshien rather than that. I was thinking at that time. “

I went to Aomori Yamada for Koshien, but …

And I decided to go on to Aomori Yamada High School. Until the year before Kyoda entered the school, he played in the summer Koshien for the sixth consecutive year. It is said that not only the strength but also the substantial facilities were attractive. And Kyoda will seize the position of shortstop from the spring of 1st year at one of the most powerful schools in Japan. “I wish I could finally get on the bench and get regular. My parents said,’I don’t have to be in the game for three years, so just go to the end.’ (Laughs). I was in the match without really feeling it. A regular senior was injured, and I happened to come out instead and get the result. I thought it was awesome. “

Kyoda had an unforgettable experience at this first grade summer tournament. A match with Kosei Gakuin (currently Hachinohe Gakuin Kosei) in the semi-finals. The hit ball that passed through the two games flew for the first time. Kyoda didn’t go to catch the ball until the end because he was concerned about the distance from the second baseman. I hesitated. Seen from the perspective, it may be just a story of not jumping into the ball. However, Aomori Yamada’s director Yasuro Igarashi at that time kept telling him that he was in Kyoda from the day the match ended until he retired.

A word that I can never forget

“That play reversed the positions of Aomori Yamada and Kosei Gakuin. I will continue to say that I am not playing baseball alone.” It may have been a heavy word for Kyoda, a first-year student. However, Mr. Igarashi’s words have become a great source of food that I will never forget. “My hesitant play ended the summer of the third grade. Those who are watching such a passive play can understand it. I have never been praised by Mr. Igarashi in three years. However, I have never been strongly told about technical matters. I was taught strictly about my attitude to work on it, “he recalled with his respected teacher.

At that time, Kosei Gakuin was strong in Aomori Prefecture. Kyoda has never participated in Koshien for three years in high school. “(Kosei Gakuin) was insanely strong. I would definitely hit him somewhere. I was always aware that I couldn’t go to Koshien unless I beat Kosei.” At that time, Kosei Gakuin had a player who was the number one shortstop of the generation. This is Fumiya Hojo (currently the Hanshin Tigers).

“I was conscious of it. I was doing as much activity as I could in the same position at Koshien. When I became a high school student, I became aware of my abilities to some extent, and I also became aware of what I was lacking compared to others. I wanted to go to Koshien, but I didn’t really think about things like “going to a professional!” Because I was thin. I was watching Hojo up close, so I wasn’t thinking about it. I thought it was still early. ” Kyoda decided to go on to university as a matter of course.