Aranmare Akita is a women’s basketball team that belongs to the Women’s Basketball W League. Headquartered in Akita, we aim to be a team that grows together with the community and a team that serves as a symbol of support for women’s success.In addition to competitions, we also engage in various community contribution activities.
Among the teams that actively engage in non-basketball activities such as beach cleans as well as basketball clinics in which many players participate for local elementary, junior high, and high school students, this time we will be featuring National Hospital Organization Akita Hospital (National Hospital Organization Akita Hospital). The following is an exchange with Akita Hospital). The interaction between muscular dystrophy patients and Aranmare players, which takes place in conjunction with Akita Hospital, which has the only muscular dystrophy ward in the prefecture, is something that is possible only because Aranmare is a women’s sports team, and is more than just encouraging each other.
Interview subject
- Aranmare Akita Mr. Taguchi, Mr. Ishida
- National Hospital Organization Akita Hospital Muscular Dystrophy Ward
- Kana Domon, Chairman of the Neighborhood Association
- Mr. Osamu Chigusa, Vice President of Neighborhood Association
- Child instructor Katsuhiro Takahashi
Regional revitalization through women’s sports! What is the future that Alanmare, who has three women’s teams, envisions in the region? ｜Prestige International President Tamakami InterviewAranmare operates women’s sports teams in three regions: Akita, Yamagata, and Toyama, and aims to create employment opportunities and provide fun in the regions. Aranmare was established as a corporate team of Prestige International Co., Ltd., a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime, which handles BPO for various companies. President Shinichi Tamakami (hereinafter referred to as Tamakami) has been determined and committed to “building a team from scratch” and has developed activities that are rooted in the local community. In an interview, we spoke about how women’s sports teams are aiming to become established and strong in rural areas by connecting deeply with the local community, while overcoming challenges unique to women’s sports and the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic. …
Aiming to be a team that is loved by the local community and grows together with them.
–Please tell us about the local contribution activities that Alanmare Akita is engaged in.
Aranmare Taguchi)Aranmare’s community contribution activities include:We offer a wide range of activities, including basketball clinics for elementary, junior high and high school students in Akita Prefecture, and exercise classes for young children. In addition to basketball-related activities, we also interact with the muscular dystrophy ward of Akita Hospital and participate in beach cleanup activities during the summer.
We strive to be a team that is loved by everyone in the local community and can grow together with us. Therefore,Not only do we use basketball to bring energy to the people of the prefecture, but we also work on activities with the desire to revitalize the region and grow together through opportunities for interaction.
–What is the significance of a women’s sports team operating in rural Akita?
Taguchi)In rural areas, there are few options for entertainment, so I feel that people have a very strong interest in sports and a strong attachment to local teams. In addition, in order to realize the founding concept of Aranmare Akita, “creating opportunities for women to play an active role and creating a team that becomes a symbol of supporting women,” it is important for the women’s team players to be active in basketball games and in the local community. I feel it is of great value.
ーーAre there any moments when you feel glad about being involved in these activities?
Taguchi)Through these activities, we feel that by allowing the athletes to meet and talk directly with local people, they will be able to make new connections and receive more enthusiastic support.We are very grateful to receive enthusiastic feedback from local residents, as it is a great source of encouragement for the athletes and has a positive impact on the competition.In the future, we would like to increase the opportunities to interact with even more people and expand the scale of our activities.
Online exchange started after promotion to W League
–I would also like to ask Mr. Takahashi from Akita Hospital. First of all, please tell us about the characteristics of the hospital.
Akita Hospital Takahashi)Akita Hospital is a National Hospital Organization hospital with the only muscular dystrophy ward in Akita Prefecture. There are many long-term hospitalized patients using recuperation care, including patients from outside Akita Prefecture. In recuperation care, patients receive appropriate medical care while also engaging in rehabilitation and recreational activities during the day.
Additionally, there is a “neighborhood association” within the hospital, which has 37 members, approximately half of the patients admitted to the muscular dystrophy ward.The residents’ association plays a central role in planning Christmas parties and other events to make the hospital stay more enjoyable for patients.One of these is the “Aranmare Akita Exchange Meeting” held every summer. there is.The neighborhood association itself has been in existence since 1981, making it an organization with a long history.
–That’s an amazing history. I heard that the exchange event with Aranmare Akita started three years ago.
Akita Hospital Domon)As Tohoku was to participate in the W League, the highest league for women’s basketball, for the first time, the vice manager of Aranmare Akita, with whom she had been previously connected, and the local community president at the time started talking about “if we could do something interesting.” It all started with this.
Mr. Domon interacting with Aranmare players (left photo)–The first and second sessions were held online due to the coronavirus pandemic, but were there any difficulties?
Taguchi)For the first two years, we demonstrated our handling and basketball skills online and had our players answer questions from everyone through trial and error.
Even if it is an online interaction,We focused our efforts on helping the players understand what kind of place Akita Hospital’s Muscular Dystrophy Ward is and what we value.It is difficult for people to watch sports locally, but this interaction made me realize once again that there are people out there who support Aranmare Akita in this way, and I was very impressed. remains.
ーーSince last year, we have started to have face-to-face interactions. Did you really feel the difference between online and face-to-face?
Takahashi)Some patients may have felt a sense of distance from the players when watching through the screen, giving the impression that it was not very realistic. However, with the face-to-face interaction that began last year, it is not possible to communicate through a screen.Being surprised by the size of real athletes and being able to talk directly with them makes me feel closer to them.I think so.
A “soft atmosphere” that only Aranmare Akita players can provide
–The exchange meeting held in July this year was the fourth.
Aranmare Ishida)The content of the meet-and-greet on the day was decided after listening to the players about what they wanted to do and consulting with Mr. Takahashi from Akita Hospital. During activities such as “Who is this player?”, everyone laughed constantly, and the event became so exciting that it exceeded the originally scheduled time.
The players are also very positive about visiting the hospital, and have been proactively participating in the networking event from the planning and preparation stages. I often hear that the players want to reciprocate the enthusiastic support of everyone at the hospital.
Akita Hospital Chikusa)I feel that events in which Aranmare players participate are special and different from other events for everyone in the community association. This year, some people have become such fans of the players that they researched the players in advance and brought their favorite merchandise.
Takahashi)The Aranmare players talked with the patients in a friendly atmosphere, which was very impressive.Perhaps due to the “softness” characteristic of women, patients who usually have few opportunities to talk to outsiders were able to enjoy conversations with Aranmare players without feeling nervous.
–Some people get nervous when meeting professional athletes for the first time, but you can make them feel at ease.It means that Aranmare Akita players have “softness”.
Taguchi)I’m very happy to hear you say that. Of course, we are not giving any special guidance.I think the fact that the players’ inherent “softness” makes it easier for them to converse with patients is one of the characteristics of Aranmare Akita’s involvement with the local community. Masu.
–Do you have any connections other than hospital visits?
Domon)We handed over the donation for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred in January of this year to Alan Mare. In response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, members of the neighborhood association thought, “Maybe it would be better to provide some kind of support,” and the neighborhood association took the lead in taking action. At that time, I learned that Haruka Noda and Chihiro Sato, two players from Ishikawa Prefecture who play for Aranmare Akita, were involved in fundraising activities, so I contacted them and decided to cooperate with them.I feel that this was an episode that symbolized the deep interaction that was possible because they truly supported the team and players, and was not just a source of encouragement.
A special performance from someone close to you
–Now that face-to-face interactions have been realized, is there any interaction Akita Hospital would like to have with Aranmare in the future?
Thousands of species)We would like to plan an opportunity for patients to feel more directly the performance of the athletes. It’s difficult to watch games locally, but even if it’s not a live broadcast, it can be fun to watch and enjoy the weekend games with the players.
I would be happy if we could create an environment where patients can watch the athletes’ handling and skill performance.
–How do you feel about Aranmare Akita?
Ishida)We would like people to actually watch the play at the venue, but we think it would be a fun event if we could hold it together with Akita Hospital in the form of a public viewing.I think people would be more pleased if they could see not only the players’ off-duty appearances, but also their on-duty appearances as players.I would like to do more and more things that we can do together, like this fundraising campaign for the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
–Not only does it give you energy, but it also makes you feel like you are really close to each other.
Ishida)I agree. Our relationship is not just about giving each other energy, but we are also working together to contribute to the local community, and we have received a lot of support so far in order to achieve our goals. . I hope to continue to deepen our exchanges and work together to enliven Akita Prefecture.
–Thank you very much.
What are the “possibilities of sports” from the perspective of the first female sportscaster on a commercial TV station?Japan ranked 125th out of 146 countries in the 2023 Gender Gap Report released by the World Economic Forum. This is the lowest ranking since it was published in 2006, and problems are particularly evident in the “Politics” and “Economic Participation” sections. Television stations are one of the important media that deliver sports broadcasts and sports news. The “Survey Report on the Percentage of Women in Commercial Television and Radio Stations” released by the Federation of Commercial Broadcasters in November 2023 reveals issues related to the gender gap within the industry. We spoke with Yasuko Miyajima (hereinafter referred to as Miyajima), who has worked at a television station for over 40 years and is currently the representative director of Cultivator, a general incorporated association, about the current state of the television industry, its background, and the power that sports have in promoting women’s success. . …
The world of “joy running” depicted by Chie Matsuda, a pioneer of women’s marathonsChie Matsuda, a former Shiseido employee, is said to be the “pioneer of women’s marathons.” She participated as one of the 50 invited athletes (32 Japanese and 18 foreigners) in the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon, which was held for the first time in 1979, the year before the current Shiseido Running Club was established. She is a legend of the event and continued to run the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon until she was 60 years old. …
New technology for women’s sports! The world that the app “Lean” aims to achieve is “taking menstruation into consideration and achieving zero injuries.”The issue of menstruation that female athletes have to face. It can affect your conditioning and performance, and can have a big impact on your future health…
What is “Girls Empowerment Project”? The secret to creating an event that everyone can enjoy, including those who are not good at sports and those who have given up on sports.Yamato Sylphide (Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture), which belongs to the women’s soccer Nadeshiko League, is holding a program called “Play Academy with Naomi Osaka”…
Photo provided by Alanmare
<!– タグを上部に移動
–>
