The 2020 Summer Koshien Tournament, which was canceled for the first time since the end of World War II due to Corona, is a project to bring back that summer

Reclaiming That Summer National Former High School Baseball Tournament 2020-2023" by project members was held from November 29 (Wednesday) to December 1 (Friday) at Hanshin Koshien Stadium and baseball stadiums in Hyogo Prefecture, and was streamed free of Broadcasting charge at SKY Perfec!

This experiment was one of the nine key sustainability themes identified by SKY Perfect JSAT, which is related to the enhancement of people's lives through diverse Contents and the development of local communities.

We have been able to Broadcasting and stream free of charge the young people who have been deprived of their dream of standing on the stage of Koshien and are trying to hold the tournament in Koshien. In addition to Broadcasting・ distribution, we also collaborated with companies that sympathized with this initiative and provided various support.

And this time, we asked the founder of the "Reclaim That Summer Project" Yuto Otake (Musashino University, a former member of the Josai Ojosai High School baseball team) to talk about his impressions of the tournament and his thoughts on completing the project.

Impressions of the conference and the completion of the project

―――What does the 'Reclaim That Summer' project mean to you?

It's a project to put an end to it and move on to the next step. The goal is to bring back that summer, which was canceled for the first time since the end of World War II, with the players themselves and to put an end to their feelings about that summer by stepping on the soil of the sacred Koshien. We hope that this will be the best opportunity to experience everything about Koshien, such as the feel of the soil stepped on with spikes, the smell of the beach breeze, and the Alps stand that can be seen from it. And I think that showing the "back" of the players standing at Koshien Stadium will be a day of fresh start, and it will be a day of fresh start, rewarding all the people who have supported us so far (family, dormitory mothers, coaches, etc.). I think it's also a great day for the players to express their gratitude."

―――What did you find the most difficult part of running the business?

I was communicating with the players online, but I didn't know if we were on the same page, so I went to see them in a camper van and hitchhiking."

―――Many professional baseball alumni also agreed to the project.

In the words of Daisuke Araki, 'Koshien is everything about a baseball boy.' He said, "There are demons in Koshien, but there are also gods." There are demons, but there are also gods who help you grow. It was very impressive."

―――Now that the tournament is over, please let me know what you think.

I've been fighting for a long time without running away from the hard stuff, and I'm glad I did it.

―――What was the most memorable scene during the competition, and why was it chosen?

On the first day of the tournament, at Koshien Stadium, when 700 players lined up in front of me in the entrance procession, I felt that we had put everything we had into making this smile for these people."

―――What kind of project did 'Reclaim That Summer' mean to you?

I think it was an opportunity for the summer generation to move forward, and it was a tournament that made me realize that I was supported by many people.

―――Tell us about your dreams for the future.

I myself have received a lot of gratitude from many seniors, including this project, and when I become a person who can give advice to others, I would like to repay the favor I received to my seniors. I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

We learned about this project around May of this year and went to Musashino University to talk to Mr. Otake and the management members. It is now possible to distribute for free Broadcasting. On the day of the tournament, the players and their families were full of smiles, and many people on social media said, "Thank you for the free Broadcasting and streaming. Through this initiative, I feel strongly that we were able to convey to the world the opportunity for them to regain what they have lost and move forward.