窪川高校野球部が5年ぶり復活！部員は1年生のみ、目標は甲子園出場　選手の支えは“地域の絆”【高知】 (26/07/02 19:25)

With the summer Koshien Kochi tournament opening next weekend, this time we'll be talking about high school baseball. This spring, we followed Kubokawa High School, which revived its baseball club after a five-year hiatus due to a lack of players. Behind this revival was the community's desire to revitalize their town through baseball. The members of the Kubokawa High School baseball team, revived after a five-year absence. All 13 members are first-year students from within the prefecture, gathered from outside Shimanto Town. The captain is Yume Matsumoto, a graduate of Sagawa Junior High School. She was chosen as captain for her strong competitive spirit and passion for baseball. Kubokawa High School 1st Year, Yume Matsumoto, Captain: "I chose this high school because I was excited about the prospect of creating a baseball club from scratch and doing something new. My goal is to create a tradition and win at Koshien." Kubokawa High School has seen a continuous decline in student numbers due to factors such as the declining birthrate, with only 17 students expected to enroll in 2025. To keep the school afloat, the town undertook the revival of the baseball club, which had been disbanded in 2021. This spring, 13 students from outside the town enrolled to play baseball, increasing the total number of students at the school to 39. All team members live in dormitories that the town has built using subsidies and other resources. Kubokawa High School 1st Year Student, Taku Yamamoto: "Living in the dormitory, we all live together like family, so we see each other's good and bad points, and I think living in the dormitory helps us grow as baseball players." The team's manager, Saisho Ichikawa, was hired by the town as a temporary employee to revive the baseball club. Kubokawa High School Baseball Club Manager, Saisho Ichikawa: "Most importantly, I came back to Shimanto Town, where I was born and raised, with a strong desire to give back to the community and contribute to it using what I've gained so far." Until March 2026, he was a middle school teacher and a renowned manager who led the prefectural select team to second place nationwide. Many of the players come from local club teams coached by Coach Ichikawa, and they are talented players who have defeated strong schools such as Kochi Junior High School and Meitoku Gijuku Junior High School to win the prefectural tournament. Desire to be coached, they have gathered at Kubokawa High School, and even without instructions, they find their own challenges and work hard in practice. Kubokawa High School 1st year, Akio Ueda: "I'm focusing on not getting the bat too far under the ball and hitting clean line drives. I practice while imagining game situations." The team's big goal is to participate in the Koshien tournament, but first, they are aiming for their first win in the Kochi tournament while exploring their strengths and playing style. There is a student who is happy about the revival of the baseball club. Kubokawa High School 1st year, Koharu Takahashi (Manager): "Since I'm from the local area, I always wanted to join the baseball club if one was ever formed, so I chose Kubokawa High School." Koharu Takahashi is from Shimanto Town. I had always wanted to be a manager in high school, but I gave up on the idea because it would have been impossible at a school outside of town that required a long commute. My dream came true when the baseball club was revived at my local school. These are rice balls made by the manager. Team Member: Q: How are the rice balls the manager made? "They're delicious." Kokoro Takahashi, 1st year, Manager at Kubokawa High School: "It makes me really happy to hear them say the rice balls I made are delicious, and I'd be even happier if they eat them and are able to perform at their best in practice." The local community is also supporting them. Mamoru Toshioka, Shimanto Town: "It's wonderful, it's great to see the team so lively. Even when walking around town, the team members greet you loudly with 'Good morning,' and the residents are delighted. I really hope they continue." After practice, the team members went to the cafeteria the town prepared for the baseball club. The main dish that day was hamburg steak. Team Member: Q: How's it today? "The hamburger is delicious. The nutritional balance is well thought out, so it's very easy to eat." The person who prepares the breakfast and dinner is Akiko Shiba (69). She ran a coffee shop in this location for many years, but closed it this March due to rising prices and other factors. She had planned to relax, but after receiving a request from the town, she began preparing meals for 13 people breakfast and dinner, hoping it would benefit the community. Team Member: "There are so many bones, seriously!" Shiba: "Those are the bones. It's hard to remove them all, even if they're this big." Player: "But it's really delicious." Shiba: "Isn't it delicious?" Shib...