Japan Tennis Association Certified Coach Level 4
I recently spoke in the Management course on “The Current Situation of Junior High School Club Activities.” Many participants were Coach Level 4 candidates with experience guiding high‑level players, so junior high school club activities—deeply connected to the school education system—may have felt unfamiliar. Unlike competitive player development, school-based club activities focus on participation and grassroots growth. I hope the session offered a clearer picture of this educational role, as well as the national shift toward community-based club activities that will take place over six years starting in 2026. Each community will move forward differently, with no single correct model. Even so, I truly hope that dedicated professional coaches like […]
Community Engagement by the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Tennis Team
Members of the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Tennis Team—who also compete as a corporate team—recently held a training session for the boys’ tennis team at Narusedai Junior High School in Machida. We had the privilege of supporting this initiative. Despite working full-time on weekdays, the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance players devote their weekends to training as a corporate team. Wanting to give back to the city of Machida, where their practice courts are located, they explored ways to support local schools—particularly teachers who manage large club teams while juggling many responsibilities. From this shared intention, the idea for this training session took shape. As weekend club activities transition to community-based models tailored […]
Season’s Greetings from Future Sports Consulting
In Tokyo, December 24th—Christmas Eve—has recently been known as the day with the highest chance of sunshine. Yet this year, even Christmas arrived under a cloudy sky. As I reflect on 2025, the greatest highlight for me was undoubtedly the launch of Future Sports Consulting. With the support of so many people, we have been able to reach the end of this year and take our first steps forward. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has encouraged and supported us. Thank you very much. Even as adults, we continue to face moments of uncertainty. Making decisions requires courage, and worries and doubts never fully disappear. No matter how our […]