Kuroda reflects on four years in farewell blog post

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Writing in a farewell blog post reflecting on his four years with the program, Kuroda expressed gratitude to alumni, supporters, and teammates who supported his collegiate career. His departure marks the end of the 110th generation’s active campaign in the university sports circuit.

Reflections on Rikkyo Admissions and Early Mentorship

He credited an acquaintance named Takei with introducing him to the institution when he was uncertain about his academic path, alongside senior recruiters who guided him through the admissions process.

Friction and Adjustment During the Freshman Year

During his time with the 107th generation, Kuroda faced early difficulties adjusting to university life, noting differences in practice volume, team atmosphere, and regulations. He recalled frequent friction and a major disagreement with Maruya, a fellow chief with contrasting viewpoints, which created challenges within his peer group.

Kuroda also acknowledged the guidance he received from Takei, who served as a senior from the same high school, and thanked teammates who stayed late for extra practice sessions. Despite failing to advance past the first round of the primary spring tournament qualifiers and struggling in internal matches, Kuroda participated in upper-team practices and league selection consideration thanks to the support of the 107th generation seniors and figures such as沼尻 (Numajiri) at TTC.

Kuroda Adopts Team Slogan After Shifting His Mindset

Reflecting on his second year as part of the 108th generation, Kuroda described his mindset as self-centered. Failing to secure a regular spot in league matches shifted his focus toward individual student tournaments rather than team promotion, leading to frustration regarding support duties.

However, observing the commitment of the 108th-generation seniors—who fought for every point and rallied support during difficult moments—changed his perspective. He noted that watching the unified effort of players and supporters inspired him to adopt the slogan, Rise together. Fight together.

Securing Competitive Results on the Court

By his third year with the 109th generation, Kuroda's efforts yielded competitive results.