Following in the footsteps of my beloved father, March 13, 19:53
“I want to catch up and overtake him.”
Katsuji Kiyohara spoke of his determination to surpass his beloved father, who once brought excitement to Koshien.
Kiyohara, who faces the big stage as a regular at Keio High School (Kanagawa), who will be participating in Senbatsu High School baseball for the first time in five years, has a strong bond with his father, Kazuhiro.
(Yokohama Broadcasting Station reporter Yasushi Takahashi)
Katsuko who inherited from his father
A home run to the left with a liner hit.
On this day, one week before the opening of the Senbatsu, KIYOHARA Katsuji scored a valuable additional point against the ace of the powerhouse Tokai University Sagami High School.
It was different from the batted ball that drew a parabola like his father, Kazuhiro, but it was the first issue of this season.
With a height of 1.75 cm and a weight of 85 kg, his sturdy body is the result of hard work.
In the winter, I strengthened my lower body through weight training, and now I can lift 180kg, which is 60kg heavier than before, in squats.
Katsuji Kiyohara
: “I have practiced so that I can hit the ball farther.
Director Moribayashi
: “I feel like I inherited my father’s concentration, or the spirit of trying to hit the pitcher at bat. However, being the center of attention is an experience that is difficult to obtain, so Kiyohara is also trying to see it as a plus.”
My father was called Koshien's "monster"
Kiyohara's father, Kazuhiro, is a famous Koshien superstar.
From the summer of his first year at PL Gakuen in Osaka, he played an active role as No. 4, and excited not only Koshien, but all over Japan.
He played in all 5 innings he could participate in in the spring senbatsu and the summer national high school baseball, and achieved 1 runner-up in the senbatsu, and 2 wins and 1 runner-up in the summer.
The total number of home runs accumulated at Koshien is 13.
The record, set nearly 40 years ago, still stands.
It all started with playing catch with my father
The reason I started playing baseball was when I was little, playing catch with my father and my brother, Shogo, who is three years older than me.
Since joining the team in the first grade of elementary school, he has continued to play baseball, which he loves, and I also learned about his fascination with Koshien.
Katsuji Kiyohara
: “(When I was in elementary school) I saw high school baseball at Koshien and admired how cool it was.
Until now, it has often been talked about as "Kiyohara's child".
When he was selected to participate in the Senbatsu, he became even more popular, and the reporters repeatedly asked him questions about his father at every interview.
Katsuji Kiyohara
: “I know that I will be the center of attention. , I try to think positively even in situations where pressure is applied.”
I want to feel my father by my side
January 27, when Keio's first Senbatsu appearance in five years was decided.
Kiyohara said that he talked to his father on the phone and was told, "Congratulations. Do your best to play as hard as you can."
Katsuji Kiyohara
: “We usually get in touch and talk about a lot of things.
The words from my father, who is a “great senior” who knows Koshien, is a big driving force.
On the same day, his father also wrote his heart on his own SNS.
Kazuhiro Kiyohara's Twitter
"I'm happy and at the same time, I'm feeling more nervous than when I first played in Koshien 40 years ago. I want all the players to play with all their might without regrets on that big stage. I hope you do."
Four messages written by his father with a magic marker are written on the back of the brim of Kiyohara's game cap.
Before the fall of last year (2022), which was an important event in preparation for the Senbatsu competition, Kiyohara asked, "Dad, write down what is important to you."
"Ki", "believe in yourself", "relax", and "center return".
All of them were words that came into Kiyohara's heart as he was aiming for Koshien.
Katsuji KIYOHARA
“He always cares about me and encourages me to support my play. I want to do my best so that I can shine like my father.
The uniform I wore at Koshien also had a bond with my father.
The white cloth sewn on the back of the school crest on the left shoulder.
It has the number "3" written on it.
This is the uniform number of his father when he was active not only in high school but also in professional baseball and Seibu.
I want to play while feeling close to my longing father.
Cheerful and bright personality, also as a mood maker
Kiyohara, who has a cheerful and bright personality, is expected to play a role as a mood maker for the upcoming Senbatsu.
Katsuji Kiyohara
: “Playing baseball makes me happy.
Sorato Omura, Captain:
“Katsuji is really bright and cheers up the team. If you do your best as a child, that alone will have a positive impact on the team.”
"I want to surpass my father" Aiming for the Senbatsu championship that could not be achieved
Kiyohara, who often hit No. 6 and No. 7 in official games, is also particular about No. 4, which his father kept sitting in high school.
Following in the footsteps of his great father is the senbatsu championship that his father was unable to achieve.
Katsuji KIYOHARA
“The number 4 influences the game. I want to be the player who sits at the number 4 and helps the team win. When I saw the video of my father at Koshien, I thought it was really amazing as I got closer to the stage. My father is a player I can respect very much, so I want to be able to catch up and overtake him.”
Keio High School's first game is on the 21st.
On the 21st of this month, Keio will face Sendai Ikuei High School (Miyagi), who won the first national high school baseball championship last summer.
Yokohama Broadcasting Station Reporter
Kanata Takahashi Joined the station
in 2018
After working at the Utsunomiya station, he is currently a
member of the baseball club from elementary school to university.A
high school in Toyama Prefecture dreamed of participating in Koshien