June 02, 2008
Tokyo JAPAN
The Situation with the Tokyo Tech TAIKAI (大会サッカー) Soccer Team…
In Japan, a TAIKAI team is as serious as it gets, and the Tokyo Tech TAIKAI soccer team is no exception. We practice six out of seven days a week, and every player is completely committed to the team – no being late, no missing practices, and no going half-assed. This level of commitment scares off most people, but for me it has turned into one of the most important (and rewarding) parts of my life in Japan: there is real truth in the axiom, “You get out what you put in.” Being a part of this team has differentiated me from being a foreigner living in Japan to a foreigner building a life in Japan.
However, this “success” story does not have a simple beginning. When I first started practicing with the team back in April, I was the odd-man-out. I had just begun learning Japanese and only one player on the team spoke any English. Further, I was an outsider in a country that is notoriously close-knit. Finally, as if the chips were not already stacked highly enough against me, I shared the news that I would be returning to the United States one month before the penultimate tournament begins in September. This last development left the team captain, Ogata-san, in a difficult position: he had to decide if my participation would benefit the team’s chances for qualification in Japan’s 2nd Division.
Fortunately, Ogata-san welcomed me as a member of the team, but with the understanding that my game-time playing opportunities would be strictly limited. The games leading up to the tournament are entirely preparatory, so it is best if the team uses the players they will have come September.
While I understand Ogata-san’s logic – the team must become accustomed to playing without me – it still left me with an important decision to make: whether or not being a part of the team is worth my while. My time in Tokyo is valuable, and my schedule has always been jammed with obligation/activities, so my first inclination was to quit the team (or continue practicing with them when it was convenient). However, after a night debating the topic in my mind, I realized something important about myself: I am an all-in or all-out kind of person. Further, there is no half-way house in terms of being a part of a team, and I would rather have soccer in my life than not.
The following day I showed up to practice and delivered the following speech to the team (all in Japanese):
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I appreciate your honesty regarding my playing opportunities with the team. 僕が試合でプレーできるかについて本当のことを正直に話してくれたことを、僕はこころより感謝しています。 There is no greater motivation than the desire to win. It has been my chief aim to help the team achieve this goal through my playing ability. However, circumstances dictate otherwise. I have been forced to reconsider what I hope to achieve in playing for the team. After much thought, my decision is the following: I will continue training with the team with renewed vigor. I recognize that playing in games is impossible. So my decision is based upon my fondness for my fellow team-mates and a desire to be a part of the team's future success. Let us forget anything that separates me, as my primary aim is to be equal with everyone. I want to be pushed just as hard and held accountable for any displays of laziness or ineptitude. From henceforth, I commit myself to the team, and will prove my worth in ways different from scoring goals on match day. Please accept me as one of you. |
The team was deeply moved by the speech, although few knew how to express themselves directly (as was later explained to me by several of the captains and co-captains). The main point of posting this is to show that this has by no means been a walk in the park. Nor would I have wanted it to be.