"It's very rewarding

. I've come to think that it's for people and that people around me will be happy."

A former professional baseball player who has moved to another place.


The profession that young professional baseball players want to take after retirement is "company manager", which is the top for the third consecutive year.

The results of such a survey have been compiled.


why is it.

"Company manager" top for 3 consecutive years

Approximately 75% of the players who were out of force or retired from active baseball last season in professional baseball got jobs related to baseball, while the profession that young players want to get after retirement is "company manager". According to a survey by NPB = Nippon Professional Baseball, the number was the highest for the third consecutive year.

Actually about 75% related to baseball

Every year, NPB announces the results of a survey of players who have been out of force from the 12 teams and who have retired from active duty.



According to it, last season, 143 people were targeted, the average age was 27.8 years, and the average number of years in a professional baseball team was 7.3 years.



Of these, 107 people, or 74.8%, got jobs related to baseball, such as baseball staff and staff, and continuing to be active as training players.

66% of career "anxiety" after retirement

On the other hand, as a result of a questionnaire survey of young athletes about their career paths after retirement from October to November last year, the most common occupation they wanted to get after retirement was "company manager" at 19.9% ​​for 3 years. It became the most in a row.



This was followed by


"high school baseball instructors" at 18.3% and


"employment at general companies" at 16.7%, and


employment at companies increased by 9 points compared to the previous time.



In addition, 66% of respondents answered that they were "anxious" about their career path after retirement.



Person in charge of NPB


"Amid the diversification of work, there is also a solid orientation to want to work in a general company. The first thing is to play an active role as a player, but in independent leagues and club teams, the course will be re-established in a few years. It is also necessary to have people look to the outside world other than baseball. I want to increase opportunities to think about my career after retirement at training sessions for players. "

In the case of Shun Yamashita, who turned into a company manager

As a company manager, Shun Yamashita (30), a former pitcher of professional baseball and DeNA, moved to a field completely different from professional baseball.

Mr. Yamashita joined DeNA in 2014 in 6th place in the draft.

He was noted for his straightness and sharp sliders over 140 kg, but suffered from injuries to his shoulders and elbows and was notified in 2016.



He says he began to think about what he wanted to do after he retired, before he couldn't play as he wanted.

Experience of fighting illness

At that time, what came to my mind was the experience of developing acute lymphocytic leukemia in the first year of junior high school.


It was a long illness life of about two years.

Mr. Shun Yamashita


"I thought that my parents were hospitalized and my parents worked together, my parents stayed in the hospital room every day, and it caused a lot of trouble, so I wanted to tell them not to be in trouble when I got sick. After retiring from a professional baseball player, Mr. Yamashita got a sales

job



at an insurance agency, relying on his acquaintance.

As he gradually got used to his new life, the founder of a taxi company died in his hometown of Hiroshima, and an acquaintance asked him if he could succeed.



Mr. Shun Yamashita


"I want you to change the image of a taxi with the power of young people." I heard and wanted to do my best together. "

Knowing that there are various options

Despite being confused, he was pushed back and decided to return to Hiroshima Prefecture, and in March last year he became president of a taxi company in Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture.


While valuing dialogue with about 20 crew members, he is actively developing customers by making use of his sales experience, and is focusing on expanding the business by planning plans for tourists.



Mr. Shun Yamashita


"It's very rewarding. When I thought about when I could do my best, I came to think that it would make people happy. I would like to contribute to the excitement of Takehara City."



When I asked Mr. Yamashita for advice to the players, I got the following answer.

"When I retire and look at it from the outside, baseball players are really cool. It's amazing from my point of view that I can be a baseball player now. It's just my personal opinion, but a professional. While I can play baseball, I think it's okay to complete my life as a player and think about what I want to do after I finish playing baseball. I would like to hear from former players who have succeeded in finding employment. And I want them to know that there are various options. Some players are using the study sessions and support system of the professional baseball player association, and I would like to talk about such stories. If you ask, I think you can reduce the anxiety factor. "

"Self-employed / entrepreneurship" only 3.5%

While there are cases of success as a company owner, according to an NPB survey, only 3.5% of athletes who were out of force or retired last season were self-employed or started a business.



According to the NPB, the tendency for most baseball-related jobs to be taken after retirement has not changed since 2007, when the survey began.



Hideo Kizaki, president of Softbank Human Capital, a human resources agency headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, points out the reason why reemployment is not progressing except for baseball.

President Hideo Kizaki


"I've been playing sports so hard that I don't know much about society and the world. I have a request for an interview from the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association, but only about 10 people every year. However, I feel that the place where I can't take a step easily is more anxious than I expected. "

Eggs of gold that have won the competition with professionals

This company provides services to support the reemployment of athletes who retired from 2014.

Approximately 1000 companies have registered, and former athlete employees support job hunting through counseling, etc., which has led to the reemployment of approximately 90 professional baseball players so far.



President Hideo Kizaki


"I think there is no doubt that the power of those who have won the competition and become professionals is the golden egg that is appreciated by society. Although there are various possibilities in the second career, I retired. Then you decide your own course in a small world. In fact, there are many companies and managers in the world who appreciate the possibilities. "

Taking the next step with your own will Career education is also important

On the other hand, even if the support system is in place, it is important for the players themselves to take the next step on their own initiative and for career education from active duty.



President Hideo Kizaki


"There are many companies that say,'We will teach you everything,' even if you don't touch Excel or Word on your computer. The system for accepting them is being set up, but the players are not sick. So, we hold study sessions for athletes to give them the opportunity to think about their lives after retirement, but we should take advantage of these opportunities to increase the chances of thinking about a second career. "