Can you be the "light" of public high schools? The coach's "coaching philosophy" on the verge of his return March 3 at 17:16

Yamaguchi Prefectural Hikari High School, which will be making its first appearance in Senbatsu High School baseball, will be led by coach Takashi Miyaaki (35), who has been coaching public high schools for nearly 59 years. As a coach at a public high school where most of the players are local players, the coach, who is competing in Koshien for the fourth time in total, had various philosophies, such as "job titles nurture people." (Yamaguchi Broadcasting Station Reporter Mikito Suzuki)

Giving direction is the job

It is not easy for a public high school team made up entirely of local players to compete in Koshien.

There were two main coaching policies that coach Takashi Miyaaki of Prefectural Hikari High School, who has been coaching at public high schools for a long time, cherished.

"The players are the protagonists, but it's our coaches' job to show direction," he said,

"Improving humanity and making the team a 'group of adults'."

Coach Miyaaki was a graduate of Hikari High School and continued to play baseball until university.

After graduating, I worked as a manager and general manager at Nanyo Industry, which has produced Tsunemi Tsuda, who was called the "Stopper of Fire" in professional baseball in Hiroshima.

He has led Nanyo Industry to three Koshien appearances in spring and summer, and has a reputation for developing players in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

This is my 3th year as a coach at Hikari High School.

A public high school founded about 90 years ago

Yamaguchi Prefectural Hikari High School has a history of about 90 years. Due to the declining birthrate, we integrated with a nearby high school three years ago (3).

Club activities are thriving under the motto of both literary and martial arts, and the yachting club is at the national level.

About 70% of students go to college every year.

The baseball team has participated in the summer Koshien twice so far, and Senbatsu is making his first appearance. All members of the club are local students who commute from home.

"Human growth leads to technological growth"

The humble coach Miyaaki emphasizes that he learned many of the points necessary to build a team from his team members, but he also says that humanity is important for the growth of high school students.

Coach
MIYAAKI Takashi: "The emphasis on humanity is a belief that I have held since I became a coach, and I have believed since I was young that it is necessary for the original purpose of high school baseball, which is to promote personal growth."
"High school players can't play well unless they grow as human beings, and players who can only think about themselves, or if they are good at themselves, have a hard time saying and acting to help someone who is working for the team or to pay attention to them. I believe that if you grow as a person, you will be able to grow in your play. I always tell my players the importance of this."

He also revealed that the teams he has coached and participated in Koshien had something in common.

Coach
Takashi Miyaaki: "The team that took us to Koshien was a group of adults, and there were some members who were attentive, and even if I didn't give them instructions, they said, 'I know the coach, please shut up and sit down and watch!' I think having a few more mature players will help the team win."

It means that the coaching has gradually become widespread, and the current team is also aiming to be a group of adults.

"Position nurtures people"

And one more thing. Coach Miyaaki continues to coach based on the idea that "positions nurture people."

In this year's team, pitcher Captain Hayato Masuda has grown up and changed a lot.

Pitcher Masuda is one of the top pitchers he has coached in the past, but he was not the kind of person who would stand in front of people and lead the team, but he was a reserved and inconspicuous student.

I made him captain and gave him responsibility by giving him the role of leading the team and leading them to victory as an ace.

As a result, he says that he has become more self-aware and his attitude toward baseball has changed, leading the team in a good direction.

Coach
Miyaaki: "We are starting to show the captain's words and actions and voices everywhere, and this is one example of how the environment is encouraging growth. Of course, I think we can still do more."

Captain Pitcher
Hayato Masuda: "It's tough in some ways, but I also think there's love, and people often talk about 'this is how you should be as a human being and as a man,' so it makes me think a lot about how I live as a person."

Adored off the field ...

Coach Miyaaki clearly conveys his thoughts as a coach to his players. On the field, I sometimes look rugged, but I usually teach as a health and physical education teacher.

The students say they trust their humanity.

"I thought it looked scary, but they talk to me about my career path and tease me with love."

"I think he is a teacher who thinks about his students a lot and says that the most important thing is the students.

Koshien at my alma mater, can I become a "group of adults"?

Hikari High School, where coach Miyaaki, who continued to coach at his alma mater, built a team that emphasized humanity and seized opportunities with solid defense centered on ace pitcher Masuda.

I hope that the players will seize the opportunity to become an "adult group" at Koshien.

Coach
Miyaaki: "To be honest, when we formed the new team, we didn't expect it to come this far, but I think they will continue to grow as human beings."

Hikari High School's first match was played on the 22nd

Hikari High School's first match is scheduled for 22nd of this month against Hikone Sogo High School (Shiga).

Yamaguchi Broadcasting Station Iwakuni BureauReporterMikito

SuzukiBelonged
to the baseball team until
he joined universityIn high school, he chased
the white ball to Koshien at a public high school"The way of thinking of the coach in high school and coach Miyaaki was similar, and it reminded me of those days."