What is the reason for thinking that “it must be lost” while some competitions are abolished?
The pros and cons of national competitions for elementary school students are being debated in the sports world because of the excessive victory supremacy. While some competitions have been decided to be abolished this summer, the Japan Softball Baseball Association (Japan Softball Baseball Association), which hosts the national baseball tournament for school children, has not changed its basic stance of being “absolutely necessary.” We will consider a more meaningful tournament, including whether to continue the current tournament system.
“I’m not thinking about abolishing the national convention at all. I think it must be eliminated.”
“Is a national tournament for elementary school students necessary?” While the youth baseball world was also debating, Saburo Kobayashi, managing director of Japan Softball Baseball Association, emphasized that there was no option to abolish it.
The national tournament sponsored by the Japan Softball Baseball Association is scheduled for a week from August 8th this year as well. This is the 42nd time and has a long history, and the tournament in which representatives from prefectures participate from 11,000 teams nationwide is called “Koshien for elementary school students”. Managing Director Kobayashi says, “The national convention is a place to announce what we have been working hard on. I think it is our role to provide a place where children can feel their dreams and hopes.”
By setting goals for study and work, you can work hard every day. The national tournament is one of the big goals of children, and Managing Director Kobayashi says he wants them to study and experience through baseball. She also believes that she will also benefit from interacting with her generation throughout the competition.
On the other hand, regarding the tournament format, which has a strong character of “the best match in Japan,” it is said that there are plans to examine various problems such as victory, breakdown due to overuse of some players, and burnout syndrome. For example, at the national tournament for elementary school students (All Japan School Children’s Tournament and NPB Girls Tournament) scheduled for this summer, avoid high-risk time games as part of measures against heat stroke. In order to continue the tournament, we are considering ways to gain social understanding, including participants and related parties.
