(2008) After the difficulties of the lean year I decided commitment would have to be addressed right from the start with the new group of kids. No more forfeits in the second quarter and no more calling in sick the day before a game. A lack of commitment to training, fear, and discipline also had to be addressed; it seemed as if each successive group of new prospects had gotten worse. Some of the kids were typical as students but didn't make the grade as athletes. I had no choice but to turn up the heat.
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As individuals, the new kid's appetite for physical and mental pressure was all over the map. Some of them were refugees from other sports and had no idea of what they'd gotten themselves into; although, their individual quirks were apparent from when they first stepped on the field. It seems younger folks are keen on the testing of one's boundaries. Most of them were respectful and afforded me the same respect that they would any other teacher; although, a few of them begged for a swift kick in the pants. Having witnessed and experienced many things in sports I was prepared.
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Building a football team with a dozen or so inexperienced kids in an isolated football environment is a tall order. Most of the new prospects had never even played a sport and had little or no athletic ability, and some of them could have been considered less than zero fitness wise. Luckily, there were a few who had played flag football the year before. Naturally, all of them expressed a desire to win; although, as they stood they had a snowball's chance in hell because they'd have to face bigger, stronger, more experienced teams in faraway places while they were, mostly, small, immature, and behaved like kids. For them to accomplish anything they'd have to totally change because there were only sixteen of them and we'd need everyone.
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In Japan, baseball is king...
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.The synchronization isn't just for looks
They play baseball like a well oiled machine
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..A balance of tradition and discipline
I can't remember ever meeting a high school baseball player in Japan who didn't
remove his hat, bow, and acknowledge my presence
.remove his hat, bow, and acknowledge my presence
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Having been a recipient of old school pants kicking over the years myself administering the boot came natural for me. Some of the new kids responded quickly, while others were long term projects. The situation was typical of what happens when kids with various personalities, and backgrounds, are brought together; although, some of their behaviors were ingrained and weren't easily solved.
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Initially, cultural differences was an issue because some of the players weren't accustomed to my directness. A handful of them had to be weaned from the orbit of their doting mothers and a would happily go to the hospital for a swollen finger only to return a couple days later and stand around practice in street clothes. Others would go missing for a day or two because of a runny nose or some other minor ailment; the chronic violators were usually the same kids. Eventually, after the shock of enduring daily discipline wore off the kids just lined up and followed me wherever I led them and not one of them jumped overboard.
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The parents who attended our practices would grin and nod approvingly as I cracked the whip over their kids; they seemed appreciative of the time and effort I was putting in. Some parents went as far as offering me hot coffee and chocolates during the water breaks at practice. The Johoku football team's "komon" (school representative = 顧問), who was also a math teacher at Johoku and the flag football coach, was a big proponent of discipline; without him nothing I was doing could have been possible. Tellingly, he was also known for giving the Johoku players surprise math quizzes right on the field, after practice.
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| Johoku's "komon" or school representative, Mr. Takeshita (center) at the Johoku Alumni game talking with a former player and his father Johoku field - Hiroshima, Japan (2009) . . |
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| .Good food, good service The player's parents cater an alumni game. Johoku Field - Hiroshima, Japan (2007) |
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| .A parent, a dog, and me on graduation day Johoku H.S. - Hiroshima, Japan (2007) |
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..We rehearsed everything;
even how we entered the stadium
.Stretching before a scrimmage
against Ritsumeikan Moriyama - Shiga, Japan (2009)
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The new rules not only applied to attendance, they also included readiness for practice at the scheduled start time. Missing an elbow pad? Wrong cleats? Forgot your wrist coach? It's gonna cost you in sweat. Certain infractions committed by an individual meant the whole team had extra conditioning.
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If a practice was scheduled to start at 2:00 pm, that meant everyone, in full gear, strapped up, with helmet on, should be waiting single file for the warm-up lap to start at 2:00 pm. If the clock read 2:02 and one guy was late, or minus a piece of equipment, everybody had to pay. Just as in competition; one guy makes a mistake and we all lose. All "balances" had to be cleared before game day. No credit, no exceptions.
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..The "Guys from Fukuoka"
joining Johoku's practice regimen
Hiroshima, Japan (2008)
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There seems to be the mentality here that if the training is difficult, or if the rules are too strict, the kids will quit. Perhaps that's true; then again, if a kid gives-up easily perhaps it's better to part ways. I can attest to experiencing similar feelings myself as a first year high school player. My weakness was that I hated running as a form of conditioning; I never quit, but I thought about it whenever we ran.
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In western Japan, it's usually not a competitive situation to be a member of a football team. After all, you can't cut guys if you only have eighteen players on the roster. Naturally, it's hard to motivate a guy to train hard and give his best effort without competition. Alas, if only there were more players to choose from things would be different; although, that wouldn't be as fun.
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