Keyword “Kiki” for Tokyo Reika Utsugi Softball September 3 18:42

Softball revived at the Tokyo Olympics. The 56-year-old director Reika Utsugi is leading the Japanese national team who is aiming for a gold medal following the 2008 Beijing Games. What the commander cherished for the Tokyo Games was the word “iki”.

"We must take a gold medal"
The only thing Softball Japan representative Utsugi is looking at is the top of the Tokyo Olympics.
After the Tokyo Games, softball will not be held at the 2024 Paris Games. In order to renew the appeal of the competition, the Olympics held in Japan tell the players that a “gold medal” is necessary.

“Brain”, not “Power”

(Photo: Utsugi's Sydney Olympics as an athlete)

In his active days, Utsugi had a long striking power.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he participated as a captain, he played a home run for three consecutive games, contributing to the acquisition of Japanese silver medals.

Now that I became the director, I think that it is indispensable to win a gold medal in the Tokyo Games by carrying out a precise game that uses small skills, such as "game with a brain instead of a power game".
In mind is the biggest rival, America's # 1 in the world ranking.

America has overwhelming power.
In order for Japan to compete, it is also necessary to carry a game that the opponent does not like, such as attacks involving tricks.

To that end, "reliable technology" is necessary.
Director Utsugi asks each player to increase the number of “drawers”, saying, “Nothing can be done without drawers.” In batting practice, we have devised things such as adding one ball to one ball instead of just hitting.

(Photo: Mikiko Eguchi)
In order to realize the softball that Japan aims for at the Tokyo Games, Director Utsugi is particularly promising Mikuko Eguchi. The taste is the speed of the feet, and Eguchi wants to make a form of attack that hits No. 1 or No. 2 and returns on the center axis.

One of the “drawers” ​​that Eguchi is working on is “Slap”. The ball hits and rolls while running to the first base, and if it is a soft ball between the narrow spaces, you can hit infield hits. Even if you don't hit a hit, you can put pressure on the other battery with a spherical surface.

Eguchi himself is prepared to meet the expectation, saying, “There are still many challenges,” and “I need to be a batter with many“ drawers ”that I do n’t know what to do.”

The United States game where the problem was seen

The international competition “Japan Cup” was held until 1st.
Eguchi introduced the slap batting method in his bat, and showed the results of his practice, such as hitting a game with Taiwan.

On the other hand, the American ace pitcher was pushed by the ball and was not allowed to batting as expected.

Utsugi told Eguchi, “I'm leaving the most important batting order in the strategy, so I want to nurture it in the future”.

Director Utsugi faces the players every day for the Tokyo Olympics.
The keyword for Tokyo was the word “iki”.

“The players are really practicing with“ power ”. The idea of“ power ”is to work the same way every day. I will try my best to avoid losing myself every day. ”He cultivated his strong spirit and showed his willingness to get a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.