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Asia Gateball Junior Exchange
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| Junior Teams from Russia, Korea, Chinese Taipei and
Hong Kong China Make Sudden Visit to Japan!! |
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Junior gateball is making great advances abroad recently. In order to stimulate
this movement both overseas and in Japan, the Japan Gateball Union planned the
Asia Junior Gateball Exchange in conjunction with the sports exchange program
of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Teams from
4 countries and regions, Russia (RUS), Korea (KOR), Chinese Taipei (TPE) and Hong
Kong China (HKG) were invited to the stage of this year's All Japan Junior Championship
at Kumagaya Dome in Kumagaya City, Saitama Pref. on Feburary. 28 (Sat) and 29
(Sun). The age of the participants ranged from 9 to 19 years old. Their gateball
experience varied even more from beginners who had played for only 1 month or
so to veteran players with over 10 years experience. On the day before the event,
Feburary 27, a coaching course for referees and an exchange meet for foreign teams
only were held. On the following day, 12 Japanese teams joined the foreign teams.
The teams were then divided into groups of 4 teams and league competitions were
held. Though this was a friendly exchange meet and teams were not given ranks,
the winning team of the Korean national junior championships and the Chinese Taipei
team made up of strong players from various regions proved a tough match for the
Japanese top-class junior teams. There was great concentration by the players
on every court during the games and the strong desire to win could be felt by
everyone. However, once the games were over the mood changed completely to a friendly
one with the exchange of commemorative items and group photo taking, scenes you
would see at any good exchange meet. This event showed once again that gateball
knows no borders.
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The two charming HKG players 11-year old were very popular
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RUS vs. HKG. Although both teams are juniors, there is a huge difference
in height! |
The TPE Captain (14 years old) showed great individual skills |
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The KOR team showed excellent teamwork
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Players shaking hands and exchanging commemorative items after a game |
The RUS team composed of track and field athletic sportsmen |
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Commemorative photo of the 4 foreign and 12 Japanese teams
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Junior News from
Various Countries and Regions |
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Russia
Far East 800m Track Champ Participates!
The Spartark Youths Sports School is at the center of the popularization of gateball
in the Sakhalin Islands and the 6 participants who came to Japan on this occasion
are students of this school. Among them is the talented Far East 800m athletics
champion Roman (right in photo, 17 years old). In a typical sportsman-like manner,
he expressed a strong desire to improve his level. In Sakhalin there are about
20 players in the 10~20 year-old age group. Practice is in summer only for 3~4
hours 4 days a week in the school ground. |
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Korea
National Junior Champion Team
The 6-member team that came to Japan this time is a skillful elementary school
gateball team that won the national junior championships in November last year
(27 teams participated). The elementary school employed a gateball coach from
June last year when practice began. Practice was held everyday after school for
1 and a half hours focusing on basic skills. The same school has an active girls
team, too. On this occasion, the team's teamwork was outstanding.
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Chinese Taipei
Selected from various regions
This strong team was formed from top junior players from various regions. Choi,
who started gateball at age 4 through the influence of his grandfather, has played
gateball for 12 years, longer than anyone else. The other players are all veterans
who have played 5~7 years, usually with their families. At present, junior gateball
is being promoted at a school zone level with about 100 teams in existence. |
Hong Kong China
Junior gateball training started at elementary schools
Six elementary school children from Hong Kong China who had played gateball for
only 1~2 months came to Japan to gain experience. This can be explained by the
fact that 26 sports instructors who had just finished a 2-year training course
under Hong Kong China Gateball Association were only recently dispatched to elementary
schools. Saying this, there have already been junior tournaments held there and
the increase in the number of teams participating is evidently shown in the events;
2 years ago there were 8, last year there were 12. |
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