Hello, I am a mother of four sons, and my children are very interested in sports, so it is a great pleasure to watch their activities. (My oldest son plays for the Jakarta Social Baseball Team.) I am really impressed by the high school baseball culture in Japan, and on the other hand, I feel envious.
High School Baseball in Japan, Balancing Academics and Extracurricular Activities
In our country, participating in sports like baseball often means having to give up on academics. On the other hand, Japan provides an environment where students can balance academics and sports. Many high schools in Japan have a philosophy of 'academics first' and support students so that they can secure study time even with baseball training and competition schedules. Thanks to this, students can balance sports and academics.
Differences between Korea and Japan
Extracurricular activities in Japanese high schools don't just focus on developing athletes; they encourage them to continue their chosen activity as a hobby even after becoming adults. In Japan, it is common for students to continue the sports they played in high school as leisure activities throughout their lives. On the other hand, in Korea, high school baseball is mainly seen as a means of training professional players or gaining admission to university.
Also, there is a big difference in the number of high school baseball teams between Japan and Korea. There are only about 90 high school baseball teams in Korea, but there are over 4,000 teams active in Japan. This means that baseball is much more widespread in Japan, and there are many more opportunities for diverse students to participate.
These differences create a big gap in the opportunities for students to enjoy baseball. In Japan, with various teams available, students can learn and enjoy baseball, expanding the range of values they learn through sports.
Lessons Learned
What impressed me most about Japanese high school baseball culture is its emphasis on 'a balanced life.' The environment where students can faithfully pursue both sports and academics, and the fact that this experience can continue as a sustainable hobby even in adulthood, are truly admirable. I hope that in Korea as well, a culture will be established where the values learned through sports by students can extend to their academic and leisure pursuits.
Thank you.
