In the project “HEROs” that promotes athletes’ social contribution activities, we have established a community called “HEROs members” so that athletes with high interest and motivation in social contribution activities can collaborate with each other.
HEROs members plan to promote social contribution activities by athletes in collaboration with HEROs initiatives and various projects of The Nippon Foundation. This time, we asked Mr. Wolf Aaron, a “HEROs member” and a gold medalist of the Tokyo Olympics Judo Men’s 100kg class, to talk about the importance of “verbalization” and how to utilize his influence to the active athletes.
It is important for “active” athletes who are active on the front lines to convey
Behind my active appearance in the media and lectures is a sense of crisis about judo. The current situation is that the competition population is decreasing year by year, and I think it is necessary to first create an opportunity to get interested. To that end, I have come to think that it is important for athletes to carry out various activities and dissemination themselves.
No matter how hard the athletes are, if the competitive population is small, the value of the sport will inevitably decline. I felt strongly that I wanted many people to know more about judo.
I feel that the increase in injuries and accidents in school classes is one of the reasons for the decline in the competitive population. But if you do it the right way, you’re less likely to get injured.
Any sport can be dangerous if you don’t use the right power. As a player who is active on the front line, I think it is important to keep an eye on the downsides of the competition and face it.
With that in mind, I decided to start working as a HEROs member this time. I received a voice and replied, “I definitely want to do it.” I felt that it is important to start while working, which is easier to get more attention, if you are going to do activities for society.
Dr. Inoue (Yasuo), who works as a HEROs ambassador, was also influenced. He is engaged in various social contribution activities and is a first-class person not only as a judoka but also as a human being.
By winning the Tokyo Olympics, I originally had the desire to increase media exposure and spread judo. I actually won the championship and my name has risen considerably, and I feel that my influence has become incomparably stronger than before the Olympics. I wanted to start my activities while I was active in this influence. I hope you can feel Judo closer to you through me.
Language skills are essential to convey
In my first activity as a HEROs member, I gave a judo lesson as a project of “HEROs DREAM”. Each participant had a wide range of ages and judo experiences, and was conscious of speaking in a way that suits each individual.
Through activities such as lectures, judo classes, and media appearances, I have come to feel that it is necessary to have the ability to communicate in a way that suits the other person and to respond flexibly. There are many parts that cannot be communicated unless you are aware of the other person’s position, age, and situation. For example, talking about “the importance of having a dream” in front of the elderly does not sound.
When I play judo, I’m fighting while thinking about what the other person should do. I feel that the ability to look closely at the opponent has been cultivated through the competition. Especially in the case of judo, the distance during the competition is short, so I learned the ability to detect the complexion and slight reaction of the opponent. In the same way in conversation, I try to identify “what the other person wants” from the other person’s gestures and complexion.
Even if you have 10 knowledge of judo, you can only convey 3 if you have only 3 ability to convey. I think it is very important to use which language to convey the charm of judo correctly.
In particular, many people see Judo for the first time through the Olympics. Even if there is a chance to see it, even beginners will not be interested in it unless they tell it in an easy-to-understand manner. If the live broadcast is easy to understand, you can enjoy it even for the first time. I think there are many players who have retired and are in charge of the actual situation. I feel that the ability to accurately express one’s competition in words should be acquired from among the athletes.
I’m used to talking because I think the environment when I was young has a big influence on me. Since I was a kid, her mother told me that she talks a lot (laughs). My parents told me to study hard until I graduated from junior high school, and I grew up in a family environment where I could acquire basic knowledge and common sense.
Looking at the judo players around me, I feel that some players are not using honorifics properly. If you do not acquire basic education and common sense, you will have a lot of trouble after retirement. It is important to devote time to the competition, but I think it is important not to neglect studying in elementary school to junior high school.
I think it’s also great that I went to the dojo from an early age and was in an environment where I could interact with many people. I had many opportunities to talk with judo teachers and adults in the dojo, not just in the community at school.
Also, judo is an individual sport, and I feel a lot of tension in the game. I’ve experienced this tension since I was a kid, so I can talk on a big stage without getting too up.
Athletes’ strength is that they can communicate with influence. The more people who listen to the story, the more the result is left in the game, and the value is created in the words. I strongly feel that I cannot say anything wrong. Especially children will accept our words obediently, so don’t forget to tell them correctly.
I want to pursue “activities required by athletes”
In the future, I would like to think first of all about winning as an active judoka player, and then actively work during the rest of the time. As I mentioned earlier, words are weighted because of the results, so I would like to continue to win.
I don’t want to do activities that are intrusive. I would like to search for activities that make people feel “I’m glad they did this kind of activity” rather than self-satisfaction. It seems interesting to take a questionnaire about what kind of activities you want to do.
I don’t want sports to be intrusive. In particular, the Tokyo Olympics were a terrible corona, and I feel that there was a strong element of “being energetic with the power of sports.” But sometimes it sounds like you’re saying something beautiful while there are people who are really suffering. I think that it is something that the viewers will feel, rather than energizing themselves. I was prepared to show my best appearance in the game, and I was hoping that I could enjoy watching sports for a while even though it was difficult.
I think that influential athletes can increase the value of the competition more than anyone else.
I think that the awareness and activities for that purpose will go around and be utilized in the career after retirement. Even if you say “I want to appear on TV” or “I want to give a lecture” after retirement, it may be too late. By engaging in activities outside the competition while you are active, you will increase your name recognition and increase the number of people who support you. By doing so, I think that activities after retirement can be done smoothly.
Always be aware of “explaining exactly what you are doing”. Then, you should be able to naturally verbalize. I think that I will be able to express myself and the appeal of the competition in various places such as media appearances and classrooms.
Of course, there are also voices such as “hypocrisy” and “self-satisfaction” regarding social contribution activities. However, I don’t care about the voices from the outfield, and I want to firmly grasp what is required and work on it. I would like to continue my activities while thinking about what I can convey because I am an active athlete and what I am expected to do as an athlete.
