(click banner for original news story at OttoinFocus)

Written by Bob Otto on August 6th, 2010

The Waseda University men’s fastpitch softball team from Tokyo, Japan, will be playing in the NAFA World Series 23-Under Division, Aug. 13-15, in Des Moines, Iowa. Waseda won the 2005 AA Division, and is looking to win another championship in its four World Series appearances.

Courtesy Photo

By BOB OTTO
NAFA Reporter / Photographer
botto3 (at) verizon.net

“For our team, this is a real privilege to play a team that cares to travel that far to play ball.” – Rich Markham, manager Westerville Capitals

TOKYO, JAPAN – Stadium Lanes of Duluth, Minnesota will travel 314 miles to Des Moines, Iowa to play softball. That’s a short drive compared with Waseda University’s travel plans.

The Tokyo, Japan University fastpitch softball team will fly 6,313 miles to Chicago, Illinois, then board a bus for another 307-mile jaunt to Des Moines – site of the 2010 North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) World Series.

All for the love of playing fastpitch softball. And for the opportunity to once again lay claim to a World Series championship. Waseda will play in the 12-team, Age 23-Under Division (Aug. 13-15) that features top young men’s teams from Canada and the U.S.

In 2005, Waseda won the NAFA AA-Division in spectacular fashion by winning six games – all by shutouts – culminating with an 8-0 victory over Pennsylvania’s Lancaster Motors in the championship.

The 2005 NAFA World Series was held in Mankato, Minnesota, and the Waseda ball club proved popular with American and Canadian fans.

“In 2005 they stormed through the AA-Division and won it behind the pitching of Team Japan pitcher (Yukinori Nakashima),” said NAFA Executive Director, Benjie Hedgecock. “The fans and opponents alike were impressed with their sportsmanship, discipline, and short game.”

“So much so,” continued Hedgecock, “that they created a huge following at all their games by the locals and other participants.”

2010 TEAM GOOD TOO

The Waseda team of 2005 was a great ball club. They proved that by also winning the Japanese University Tournament as well.

But can the 2010 Waseda team rise to the challenge as the 2005 team did and defeat some of North America’s finest ball clubs and win another World Series championship?

A look at Waseda’s record, and its season’s success, reveals this ball club cannot be taken lightly. Waseda currently has a 25-5 record and took second in the Tokyo Six League, which is the top division of four levels of men’s fastpitch in Tokyo.

And as of Friday, Waseda had reached the quarterfinals of the East Japan Regional tournament, which qualifies the winner for the Japanese National Tournament.

JAPAN LEGACY IN SOFTBALL

In 1965, Professor, Tadashi Yoshimura – then a Waseda University student – decided to start a men’s fastpitch softball program. And 45 years later, Yoshimura remains Waseda’s head coach.

He says his ball club is relatively small, but they are quick with a good balance of hitting, pitching, and defense.

“We are hoping this year’s team will be able to keep up with their American and Canadian opponents,” said Yoshimura through Team Spokesman, Professor, Douglass Scott of Waseda University. “We have been putting our batteries through extra practice so the pitchers and catchers will be better prepared for the American and Canadian batters.”
On the ball diamond, Waseda is well balanced from one through nine. But three key players stand out: Catcher, Takumi Oshima, is an All-Japan Age 20-Under team member, who bats in the clean up spot. Sure handed and speedy, Takahiro Kuga, an All-Japan University, All-Star, patrols the shortstop position. And on the mound is Kazuki Masui, an All-Japan University Team finalist.

POPULAR NATIONAL SPORT

Although the team has an average age of 21, many of the players have been playing fastpitch softball for some time, said Scott.

“Many of the players start in first or second grade of elementary school,” he said. “Softball has enjoyed a long-standing popularity in Japan and that continues today.”

And like many U.S. and Canadian ball players, Japan’s ball players receive no free ride, added Scott.

“The players receive no scholarships and little financial aid for international trips,” he said. “Players, or more correctly, players’ parents will pay most of the costs of participating in the NAFA tournament out of pocket.”

But the tournament won’t be a cakewalk for Japan. In wait are 11 teams wanting to win the championship as much as Waseda. And Head Coach, Yoshimura, is well aware of that.

“Americans are big and strong, while Japanese players tend to be smaller and we will have to rely on our speed to compete,” he said. “American pitchers tend to be very strong, so our Japanese pitchers will have to be smart and maintain good control to be competitive.”

WASEDA FACES TOUGH COMPETITION

Waseda opens play on Friday, Aug. 13 in pool play. They will battle against the West Fargo Knights of North Dakota, KC Indios of Kansas, and Westerville Capitals of Ohio.

Rich Markham manages the Capitals, and he’s eager for the matchup.

“I saw them play in 1997 and I was impressed with their speed and fundamentals of the game,” said Markham. “For our team, this is a real privilege to play a team that cares to travel that far to play ball.”

With Japan, Canada, and the United States represented in the 23-Under Division, NAFA can truly say this division is an international tournament. And Waseda University deserves credit for traveling so far to make it all possible.

“NAFA is honored to have Waseda University bring a team to the World Series for the fourth time,” Hedgecock said. “All of us at NAFA look forward to an awesome 23-under Division with 12 teams from three countries and seven states.”

Visit the NAFA website for more information about the 23-Under division as well as the other men’s divisions that will be playing in Des Moines in the next few weeks.

North American Fastpitch Association

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 7th, 2010 at 10:20 am and is filed under General, NAFA, Tournaments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.