American Football – Kobe University DB Masao Kanyanagi plays American football, studies, part-time jobs, and the culmination of all his hard work in the final game of the league | 4 years. #StudentSports

• #Kansai Student American Football

• #Kobe University

The Kansai Student League Division 1 American Football League will play four final games on November 9th and 10th at the Expo Commemorative Stadium in Osaka. First of the four cards, Kobe University Ray-Bans with 3 wins and 3 losses will face Kinki University with 4 wins and 2 losses. If Kobe University wins, there remains a possibility of advancing to the All-Japan University Championship (three spots). Last year’s close match was defeated 9-10. DB (defensive back) and vice-captain Masaki Kuroyanagi (4th year, Tokyo Metropolitan Toyama) said, “Last year too, the final match was at the Expo.This year, we will show our strengths and definitely win. I will win,” he says enthusiastically.

Even on defense, keep attacking

Hanryu is 168cm tall and weighs 80kg. I have the impression that there are a lot of players of this size among Kobe University’s DBs. As I watched him move, I thought to myself, “Ah, he’s Kobe’s DB.” SF (safety) is the last stronghold among DBs. He shouts out instructions to those around him until just before the play begins, and throws his small body forward to tackle any opponent. This is the 7th year I’ve been repeating this.

In his last year at university as a defense leader, Kuroyanagi looks back on his time thus far. “We had the desire to win all the games and become number one in Japan.We had prepared a lot for our first match against Kansai University, but our preparations were ruined when we lost, and our lives were now at risk for Kansai University and Ritsumeikan. We had to play a low-scoring game, so even though we were playing defense, we had to continue to attack.We came into the game determined to continue playing the game to the best of our ability.” Although they lost to Kansai University 9-20 and Ritsumeikan 31-48, these were two games in which the seriousness of the Ray-Bans was clearly felt by those who watched.

I went to Toyama High School because of “Eyeshield 21”

Born and raised in Tokyo, he played soccer until junior high school, just like his brother, who is two grades older than him. I remembered this when it was time to think about going to high school. When I was in elementary school, I read the American football manga “Eyeshield 21” at a children’s center. “It seemed interesting that a beginner could improve and become a player who aims to become the best in Japan, and I was impressed to see that the defense players were also very active.Especially in soccer, where experience up to junior high school is important. I was impressed by the fact that unlike baseball or baseball, you can start playing even in high school.I think it’s great that you can start anew and work your way up through your own efforts.” In high school, he decided to play American football, and his choice of school was Toyama, where the club was located, and he was accepted.

After entering university and talking with people who had played football from high school, I realized that Toyama High School Green Hornets had a very favorable environment for a public school. Alumni helped me practice, and my teacher came to the field even if he had to leave work behind. He also taught me various tactics and assignments. He was a DB in his first and second years and became a LB (linebacker) in his third year. Toyama, which attends a preparatory school, normally retires at the spring tournament of the third year, but Kenryu no Yoro’s spring tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Around that time, I learned that Kobe University had finished third in the Kansai Student League Division 1 in the previous year, 2019. “Wow, this is it.” That was the moment I decided on the school of my choice. Of the 15 or so members of the same group, five or six, including Kuneyanagi, decided to continue their club activities until autumn. After winning the first match in the fall metropolitan tournament, they faced Kosei Gakuen and suffered a crushing defeat. “I’ll do my best to beat Kanagawa and Ritsumeikan at Kobe University,” he said, going into full exam mode. Gradually, his grades improved and he was accepted into the prestigious School of Business Administration.

“I’m going to spend the next four years doing nothing but playing American football,” he vowed. However, since my family sent me to Kobe, I decided to earn as much of my living expenses as possible myself. I can’t even drop the unit. The curtain has begun on a three-pronged life: club activities, studying, and part-time work. “Right now, I ask my parents to stop working part-time and concentrate on American football, but my first and second years were tough.” I work part-time at Uber Eats and sushi delivery in the morning, go to class, practice, and have meetings at night. After that, I worked on my university assignments, and started my part-time job again the next morning… “I was working at full capacity every day, so I just went back to the boarding house to sleep. Thinking about it now, I think I did a good job.” I got the units perfectly.

I started playing snapper because I wanted to play in games.

In football, he was taking on a new challenge. I just wanted to compete, so in my second year I started practicing as a snapper. He is a specialist in sending the ball backwards for field goals and punts. In the spring season of his second year, his senior snapper was injured during a game, and his turn came. 2 out of 3 innings was a home run. It’s a wild pitch. “I thought this was too dangerous, so I tried my best in after practice. By fall, I was able to perform well, and from my third year onwards, I felt like I was a full-fledged player. It took me a year,” he says with a nostalgic smile.

As a DB, he grabbed the starting position in the fall of his second year. He is busy not only in his personal life but also during the competition. Even if he returns to the bench after his defensive role, it is unclear when his turn as a snapper will come depending on how the offense progresses. Moreover, since he is the defense leader this year, he also has the role of putting together corrections for the next defense. “I’m conscious of communicating in a short time, and in a way that everyone can easily understand and remember. I just say, “Let’s do this in this way.” When you decide, let me know in the field.” It’s interesting to pay attention to Kobe University’s No. 24 during the game.

When I understood the other person’s tendencies, I was “exposed to a different kind of fun”

In recent years, Ray-Bans has continued to engage in student-centered initiatives. This year’s defense in particular has been left mostly to the students. “It was really fun because we were allowed to do whatever we wanted.The fourth-year students talked about it, created a strategy, and got advice from the director, Mr. Yanogawa.We watched the video dozens of times ourselves and got to know the opponent’s habits. , I felt like I was exposed to a different kind of fun in football when I was able to discover trends in play.” This is probably one of the best parts of student sports.

Director Gen Yanogawa praises Kenryu, saying, “He’s a spiritual pillar. He has a solid way of thinking, he’s mature, and he’s smart. He’s someone you can trust and trust.” It has been decided that he will get a job at a steel trading company next spring. When I was job hunting, I was unsure whether I wanted to continue playing football, but as this fall season progressed, my mind was made up. “Football is definitely fun. It’s not just about playing, it’s even more fun when you’re deeply involved. If I have a chance, I’d like to continue with the X1 SUPER team.”

My mother, who sent me to Tokyo, never came to watch games until last year. However, in the last season, they have come from Tokyo to all the games so far. “I’m really grateful that it motivates me to work hard.” When asked if he would like to show off his good side in the final league game, Kanryu laughed and said, “Yes.”

The war is near. This is the final stage of his 7th year in football, which started with Eyeshield 21. The time has come to show the culmination of his time at Ray-Bans.