Manager Hideki Kuriyama, who led the Japan to their first title in three years at the WBC = World Baseball Classic baseball tournament, attended the entrance ceremony of the university in Sapporo where he serves as a specially appointed professor and encouraged the new students.
Approximately 2,1900 new students attended the entrance ceremony of Hokkai Gakuen University held in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo City on May 1, and the representative student pledged to become an independent adult and a person who can respond to society.
Next, Coach Kuriyama, who is a specially appointed professor at the university, and who led the baseball Japan national team to win the WBC championship, made a surprise appearance, which drew loud applause from the audience.
Coach Kuriyama sent a message of encouragement to the new students, saying, "The top-class fighters who were active in the WBC also worked hard to stand on that stage, so please believe in yourself and keep challenging until the end."
After the ceremony, one of the new students said, "I was surprised and happy because I also played baseball.
Another female student said, "I was moved by Coach Kuriyama's words, and I want to keep believing in myself and do my best."