【特集】大人たちの激戦！「競技ドッジボール」全国大会出場の県内チームに密着【新潟】スーパーJにいがた10月29日OA

Dodgeball, once a sport for elementary school students, is now spreading among adults as well. "Adult competitive dodgeball" is a sport where the ball flies wildly. We followed a local team from our prefecture, which only made it to the national tournament in its second year. Quick passing and spectacular attacks! The Senior Competitive Dodgeball category is "adult dodgeball," open to everyone from high school students to working adults. At the national tournament held in Ishikawa Prefecture in October, 32 teams from Hokkaido to Kyushu competed in fierce battles. The only team from our prefecture to compete in this national tournament was the two-year-old team "Monsters." Active in the central part of the prefecture, including Sanjo City and Kamo City, the team has 12 members, ranging from high school students to working adults. Monsters held a training session for competitive dodgeball in Joetsu City in September. Representative and coach Kotaro Shida was present. Monsters was founded in June 2024 with the aim of promoting competitive dodgeball. ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "We've been focusing on defense, which has been an issue since the Hokuriku Tournament, and from what I can tell this morning, the results of our practice are starting to show." Captain Yuma Suzuki (26) unleashes a powerful attack. As the oldest player, he leads the team on the court. ■Monsters Captain Yuma Suzuki "We've been going out to get the ball quite a bit today, so I think it's going well." In the senior competitive dodgeball category, eight players take to the court, and each game lasts five minutes, with the final number of players remaining. The appeal is the intensity! According to Suzuki, some of the professional players can throw fastballs at speeds of over 100 km/h. The youngest member of the team is Seiji Kubo, a second-year high school student. He first tried competitive dodgeball in junior high school and now practices with working adults. ■Monsters Seiji Kubo (17) "Dodgeball is a sport where every play, catch, and attack can lead to great success. It's so much fun when you make an impact." Representative Shida is also a member of the Prefectural Dodgeball Association and is actively involved in refereeing and promoting the sport. He was previously involved with an elementary school team. ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "I also coached elementary school students on a team called 'BEST☆DREAM,' but..." "BEST☆DREAM" was once a dodgeball club for elementary school students active in Kamo City. Shida and his team founded it and operated for nearly 10 years. However, with the declining birthrate, the number of elementary school players is on the decline. BEST DREAM also suspended its activities due to a lack of members. We need to increase the overall dodgeball player population. That was the reason we started Monsters. ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "I'd love to restart the activities of the elementary school team 'BEST☆DREAM,' and (Monsters) should be a place where kids who have graduated can return as adults and say, 'I want to teach dodgeball because I was taught by them.'" 'Monsters' appearance at the national tournament -- ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "I wish there was still more time. I want to play each game with a good sense of tension and do my best." The first match of the preliminary league was against 'Vanquish' from Miyagi Prefecture. From the start of the game, Captain Suzuki's attacks were consecutively successful. Defense, which had been an issue, was also solid. Smooth passing continued, breaking down the opposing team's infield. Kubo also showed solid defense. The team won their first match with a stunning 7-1 victory. ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "Just as instructed." ■Monsters Captain Yuma Suzuki "If we continue at this pace, we can get an early lead and things will go well." The second match was against ORCA, the second-place team in the Kyushu block. Suzuki started infield, but made a mistake by dropping the ball! He cut off the opponent's fast pass! The Monsters' attack was successful, temporarily reducing the opposing team's number of players to three. However, with one minute left, the opponent launched a fierce attack and they suffered a reversal defeat. The final match was against Pink Panther (Aichi Prefecture), the top-place team in the Tokai block. The momentum shifted to the opposing team from the beginning... Stymied by a solid defense, the Monsters struggled. They launched sharp attacks, but were unable to break through. Despite some close calls, they lost 7-3, ending their run at the national tournament. ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "We have members with great potential, but we are not able to bring that out. It's our responsibility as team management. We must use these two losses as a springboard to maximize your potential." Future goals: ■Monsters Representative Kotaro Shida "I want to develop the Monsters tea...