Play = the best sport.
From the days when it was considered aesthetic to concentrate on one sport, there is a shift in thinking towards what is called “multi-sport,” where people experience multiple sports and acquire various abilities. Mizuno, a sporting goods manufacturer, has started a program called “Mizuno Multi-Sport,” in which participants can try more than 10 different sports in three months, showing that program providers are also starting to become aware of multi-sport.
This time, to commemorate the publication of “All the future begins with play” (author: Mizuno Co., Ltd., supervisor: Kazuhiko Nakamura, president of the University of Yamanashi), we will be featuring judoka Ayumi Tanimoto and former competitive swimmer Aya Terakawa. We will bring you the details of the talk show.
Let’s consider the childhood of medalists and the importance of “play” from the stories of Mr. Tanimoto and Mr. Terakawa.
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Looking back on my childhood when I played a lot
Terakawa)Right off the bat, Mr. Tanimoto, do you remember what kind of games you used to play when you were a child?
Tanimoto)I was a kid who was already into judo. I love pretend fighting. He also loved playing outside with stilts and horizontal bars.It wasn’t like he was told to play outside and was sent outside, but instead he played outside every day.
Terakawa)Did your parents plan for you to play with him in various ways from the beginning, and then have him try judo later on?
Tanimoto)My father seemed to think so, and I remember playing games that incorporated various movements from an early age.
Terakawa)Like Mr. Tanimoto, I also love playing outside, and I was able to ride a bicycle and unicycle before anyone else in the neighborhood, and I enjoyed playing outside in a variety of ways. In the winter, he even took me skiing. Mr. Tanimoto, when you were a child, did you have a chance to experience sports other than judo?
Tanimoto)I started out in track and field, and when I was in elementary school, I won the long jump in Aichi Prefecture.Once I got into it, I was the type of person who wanted to do it to the fullest. Also, my father was a youth baseball coach, so I was involved in picking up balls and batting, and I loved baseball as well.
I started judo when I was 9 years old, and now the average age for boys to start judo is 5 years old and for girls to be 6 years old. How about competitive swimming?
Terakawa)Rather than competitive swimming, children can start swimming at about 6 months old, which is called baby swimming, so it’s quite early. If you start with playing in the water and continue with that, you will progress to competitive swimming. I started when I was 3 years old. I had childhood asthma, so my doctor recommended swimming, which my older brother also did. It really happened by chance. (lol)
Scenes during the talk show (left: Aya Terakawa, right: Ayumi Tanimoto)
Having parents who praised me no matter what I did
Terakawa)Mr. Tanimoto, you were involved in various games, judo, and track and field, but how did your parents approach and interact with sports when you were a child?
Tanimoto)I“I have nothing but praise”I was a child. No matter what I did, I was told, “That’s great!” and “You did a great job!”, and I started to think “I can do it!!” more and more.
Terakawa)Is that the Tanimoto family’s educational policy?
Tanimoto)That’s my father’s way of thinking. My mother was the type of supporter who would listen to any problems I had, and generally didn’t intervene, but my father was the type who would praise me more and more.
Terakawa)That’s right! In my day, my parents would just pick me up and drop me off, and I would leave competitions to the teachers. What do you think of your parents?
Tanimoto)When I practiced judo, my father was the only one sitting in the dojo, watching the practice. I don’t say anything in particular, but even when you’re a child, there are things that get across to you even if you don’t say them.
When I cut corners in practice and my father praises me and says, “You did a good job today,” even as a child, I feel a little guilty.I thought to myself, “Oh, I’ve lost it,” but I was determined to try again.
What did you think of Mr. Terakawa? Did you talk about swimming with your family?
Terakawa)On the other hand, I never talked about competitions. Her mother was told by her swimming school that she shouldn’t say much at home because there’s a pool coach at the pool.
However, when I started participating in competitions when I was in elementary school and achieved a personal best, people would buy me my favorite sweets on the way home from the competition.I didn’t say anything, but I was just happy to have the sweets express my personal best, and I wanted to do my best next time because I wanted the sweets. (lol)
A place where children can improve themselves and connect their dreams – Tomoko Hagiwara Cup – Tomoko Hagiwara is a former competitive swimmer who also participated in the Sydney Olympics. Did you know that during her career, a tournament for elementary school students called the “Hagiwara Tomoko Cup” was held and has continued for 20 years? In addition to naming the tournament after her name, Hagiwara is also in charge of planning the tournament and negotiating with sponsors. There was a simple and pure desire to see the children grow. …
From play to competition.Much learning from sports
Terakawa)Mr. Tanimoto, are there any games you used to play as a child that you feel have led to your athletic ability later in life?
Tanimoto)Although it is a little different from play, I have been doing what is called “amphibian crawling” since I was 0 years old. I was raised by my parents who didn’t dare to let me walk, just let me do it. Also, I often did rhythmic exercises at the nursery school, so I was always doing something to sharpen my nerves while playing.
Terakawa)I see. When I think about it,I think the fact that I was involved in various other sports was a big factor in being able to participate in competitive swimming without getting injured.
Mr. Tanimoto, when did you become aware of your activities as an athlete? Was there an opportunity for you to shift from “learning” to “competition”?
Tanimoto)Actually, when I was photographed at my nursery school’s graduation ceremony, I said, “I’m going to the Olympics.” Maybe he was told to do so. But saying that makes it easier for you to remember it.
I actually discovered judo when I was 9 years old, and it wasn’t until I was 18 years old, in my first year at university, that I thought I could aim for the Olympics. The moment she competed at the national level and realized that she was close to qualifying for the next Olympics, she was so insecure that she couldn’t even say that she was going to the Olympics. What do you think of Mr. Terakawa?
Terakawa)I watched the Barcelona Olympics on TV and saw Kyoko Iwasaki’s performance when she won the gold medal at the age of 14, which made me want to go to the Olympics myself. I’m glad I was able to receive the inspiration that led to those dreams and goals when I was a child.
Terakawa)Mr. Tanimoto, what do you think is the best thing about playing sports?
Tanimoto: I learned so much from judo that I can say, “Japanese language, math, science, social studies, and ‘judo.'”Especially emotions such as pain and joy. I don’t have a textbook, but I think it was all through sports that I learned the pain of losing, the joy of winning, and the excitement of being able to trust your teammates.
Terakawa)That’s exactly right. The good thing about sports is that each child can learn their own things from their own experiences, without having to be taught by anyone.
Not just technology,Sports give you the feeling of being nurtured as a person, so even if you don’t become a top athlete, there are many things that will be useful to you as an adult.
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“All children are cute, whether they have disabilities or not.” – Creating a new community that supports children with severe mental and physical disabilities and their families is. Many children with severe disabilities receive treatment and rehabilitation at home, and facilities like Kokone are one of the few facilities where children can have a variety of experiences and families can leave their children with peace of mind. Representative of EPO Kokone, a specified non-profit organization that not only operates these facilities, but also has started an initiative to create a community where families and supporters in the same situation can interact, share information, and seek advice.・Erika Saito (hereinafter referred to as Saito). Please learn about our efforts to address the challenges faced by children with disabilities and their families, and to increase the number of people and places important to these “cute children.” …
Things I should have done were “ball games” and “language studies”
Terakawa)Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done when you were younger?
Tanimoto)I wanted to try various sports, especially ball games. As adults, ball games are the most common opportunity for us to interact and move our bodies together with friends. Even in the universal sport of Boccia, I end up throwing the ball in the wrong place. It’s the same with those frustrating parts, and there are many similarities between ball games and judo.I wish I could have tried different events.I think so.
The rest is language. When I studied abroad in France, I struggled because I couldn’t speak the language, and I realized that just because you’re a gold medalist doesn’t mean you can understand everything, and that the ability to express yourself in language is extremely important when traveling around the world. With this in mind, I have made sure that my child plays ball games and studies languages from a young age.
What a former professional tennis player felt about happiness and the potential of sports from Uganda: “Aren’t the local people happier than us?” Aiko Yoshitomi, a former tennis player who visited Uganda, Africa , Yoshitomi). She was thinking of supporting children through sports and tennis, but was surprised by the richness of the hearts of the people of Uganda, and began to think again about what she could do. Saraya Co., Ltd. is also involved in activities such as the “One Million Hand Washing Project” in Uganda, and has interacted with many local people. This time, we have a conversation between two people who are connected by the common denominator of “Uganda.” We hope you will join us in thinking about what we have to say from Mr. Yoshitomi and Mr. Tatsuya Hirooka (hereinafter referred to as Hirooka) from Saraya Co., Ltd.’s Public Relations and Traditional Affairs Department. …
Terakawa)How do you feel about your child actually learning a language?
Tanimoto)I personally teach judo classes in various countries, and sometimes I bring children along with me. At times like these, it makes me happy to see how well the children communicate.
Terakawa)I am also deeply aware of the importance of language learning. When I was studying swimming in America, I would go to the practice menu because it was related to swimming, but I found it difficult to output what I had learned in English.Learning a language can be useful in any situation, even if it’s not the world of sports, so it’s something you should try.
Now, last question. If you were an elementary school student right now, what would you like to try?
If I were an elementary school student now, I would play golf. It’s not just the power, but the precision with which you hit the ball that you’re aiming for, which is appealing because it’s something you can build up over time. Also, since it is a lifelong sport that people of all generations take part in, I think there will be opportunities to get involved with people of various generations from an early age. Of course I want to swim, but I also want to play golf at the same time. What do you think of Mr. Tanimoto?
Tanimoto)I think it would be really interesting to retire and accompany the Japanese team to the Olympics and other events to watch various competitions. I’m sure I’ll get hooked on handball and rugby, and to a lesser extent, the “hunting” feeling of kabaddi tickles my instincts. At the age of 42, I have made many new discoveries, such as, “There are so many sports out there.” Everyone, pleaseI would like to go to watch various competitions with my children and see their reactions, saying, “I want to try this!” There are some children who are not suitable for sports, but the important thing is whether the child likes it or not.
Terakawa)If I don’t like it, I won’t continue. If Tanimoto-san had participated in many trial sessions, I wonder what she would have chosen in the end!
On this day, the children also experienced various sports as “multi-sport”.
“Every future begins with play. ”
Now on sale at Mizuno official online, Amazon and other online bookstores!
This book explains how play can help children realize the idea of “nurturing as many children as possible through sports,” which is set forth in the “MIZUNO MIRAI VISION” that Mizuno holds as a guideline for creating products and services. This is a book that summarizes the effects on our minds and bodies.
Children’s physical strength and athletic ability have been declining since peaking around 1985, and there are concerns that this will lead to an increase in injuries and lifestyle-related diseases. In order to solve this social issue, Mizuno has been developing and operating an exercise program to foster healthy children since 2012. The basis of this exercise program is the idea that play is the best sport.
This book is a must-read for parents of 1st to 3rd grade elementary school students, so please pick it up!
2023-11-28 04:05:39
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