San Diego-Yokohama Youth Baseball Exchange 2006 Collaborating Organizations & Participants
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SanSan DiegoDiego--YokohamaYokohama YouthYouth BaseballBaseball ExchangeExchange August 9 - 17, 2006 Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana 1250 Sixth Avenue, Suite 226 San Diego, CA 92101-4377 Tel: 619-233-6873 Fax: 619-702-5035 [email protected] www.japan-society.org Acknowledgements AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements he Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana would like to express its gratitude to all of the organiza- T tions whose staff took time out of their extremely busy schedules to coordinate a wonderfully suc- cessful program. First and foremost, we deeply appreciate the efforts of the National Association of Japan-America Socie- ties (NAJAS) staff, Sam Shepherd, Yusuke Tanno, and Makiko Murotani, whose good work, consistently prompt responses, and endless patience helped make the program run smoothly and efficiently. NAJAS financial support through the generosity of the Freeman Foundation and All Nippon Airlines was criti- cally important to the success of the program and is also deeply appreciated. Allen Rowin and Michele Anderson of the San Diego Padres provided tremendous support for baseball clinics, Padres games, and special events. The Padres truly rolled out their red carpet for this first-ever San Diego-Yokohama program, helping to make it the great success that it was. We offer our thanks to the Yokohama BayStars Baseball Club, their interpreter Moti Masuda, and the two Yokohama coaches, Manager Murakami and Coach Miyamoto. They provided excellent guidance and instruction and we know that the return trip to Yokohama in 2007 will be in good hands. Six San Diego families opened their homes and hearts to the twelve visiting players from Yokohama. The host families made the experience valuable and memorable for everyone involved. Hosting two teen- agers from a completely different culture for eight days was a huge commitment and we are very grateful to the host families for their extensive time, positive energy, and caring attitudes. The San Diego Hall of Champions (HOC) provided two excellent coaches and a great baseball facility for clinics and games. Angela LaChica of the HOC attended these activities and donated bottled water for the players and coaches. She also arranged for donated tickets to the San Diego Zoo and assisted with discount tickets to SeaWorld. The San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society graciously allowed us to incorporate this program into the 50th Anniversary of the San Diego-Yokohama Sister City relationship celebrations. We are grateful for their cooperation and look forward to working closely together with the society in its preparations for the 2007 events. Finally, we would like to thank our sponsors for their generous contribution to the program. Funding from the Freeman Foundation made it possible to implement the program as originally conceived, and All Nip- pon Airways provided tremendous help with international transportation. We also want to thank Major League Baseball for its support of the exchange. San Diego-Yokohama Youth Baseball Exchange 2006 Collaborating Organizations & Participants CollaboratingCollaborating OrganizationsOrganizations && ParticipantsParticipants Baseball-related Organizations Government Major League Baseball City of Yokohama San Diego Padres City of San Diego Yokohama BayStars Baseball Club County of San Diego San Diego Hall of Champions Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles Torreys Baseball Club San Diego Surf Dawgs Community Organizations Japan-America Societies San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society SeaWorld Adventure Park National Association of Japan-America Societies San Diego Zoological Society Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana America-Japan Society of Yokohama Baseball Players (Japanese) Baseball Players (American) Host Families Youhei Harada Patrick Balthrop Cathy & Mark Burdick So Ishida CJ Burdick Maureen & John Edman Hiromu Kojima Johnny Edman Tammi & Paul Hedtke Kazuki Mikami Tommy Edman Kathy & David Lindley Masaki Mikami Josh Hedtke Liz & Chuck Merryman Yushiro Mizusawa Drew Imhof Phoebe & Scott Simmons Kohei Nakamura Joe Lavin Kousuke Nakamura Kendall Lindley Participating Families Yuichi Nakamura Kyler McLaughlin Darlene & Gerald Balthrop Masato Nonami Chase Merryman Lori & Martin Imhof Daisuke Oinuma Trent Simmons Ellen & Rick Lavin Kouki Yamamoto Kai Tuites Judy & Shamus McLaughlin Coaches/Interpreter (Japanese) Rinkichi Murakami Masato Miyamoto Motonaga Masuda Coaches (American) John Edman Mark Burdick Dennis Pugh Rick Lavin Martin Imhof Dave Tuites San Diego-Yokohama Youth Baseball Exchange 2006 Table of Contents TableTable ofof ContentsContents Acknowledgements Collaborating Organizations & Participants Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………...…….…1 Activity Report Baseball Clinic 1…………………………………2 Baseball Clinic 2…………………………………3 Baseball Clinic 3…………………………………4 Home Stays...…………………………………….5 Special Events 1……………….…………………. 6 Special Events 2………………………… …..…..7 Areas for Improvement………….………………….……………….…8 Appendix I - Program Format Summary………………………………...9 II - Schedule……….………………………….………………10 San Diego-Yokohama Youth Baseball Exchange 2006 1 | Executive Summary ExecutiveExecutive SummarySummary s one of the activities commemorating the 150th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan relations, NAJAS A worked in cooperation with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to establish a two-week baseball camp for Japanese and American boys ages 13 to 15 to be held in Phoenix, Arizona in 2004. This inaugural program was used as a model for the San Diego-Yokohama Youth Base- ball Exchange beginning in the summer of 2006 with support from the San Diego Padres and the Yoko- hama BayStars. The purpose of the exchange was to provide an intercultural experience for American and Japanese youths and to encourage them to learn more about each other and their respective cultures through the game of baseball. (See Appendix I for the Program Format Summary and II for the Sched- ule). Twelve Japanese baseball players along with two coaches and one interpreter were selected from Yoko- hama by the Yokohama BayStars. The selection criteria included baseball skills and an interest in inter- cultural experiences. Twelve American baseball players were selected from San Diego by the JSSDT. The JSSDT selected players with above average baseball ability from families that were willing to host the Japanese boys for eight days in San Diego and allow their sons to travel to Japan the following summer. The character of the San Diego players and their families was considered to be more important than mere baseball ability in order to ensure a positive home stay experience for the Yokohama players. JSSDT Executive Director Dave Tuites escorted the Yokohama group to San Diego and stayed with the group throughout the program. After an orientation meeting at the Yokohama BayStars offices and a spe- cial pre-departure ceremony at the Yokohama City Government offices on August 8, the group traveled to San Diego, California on August 9. The Japanese players stayed in pairs with six host families for the en- tire duration of their stay in San Diego. Players and home stay families participated in nearly all of the program’s activities together. Baseball clinics or games were held every morning (except Sunday) and an activity was held in either the afternoon or evening each day. Funding for the program came from the Freeman Foundation and All Nippon Airways. The program was a great success, with players from both countries making new friends and looking forward to meeting again in Yokohama in the summer of 2007. San Diego-Yokohama Youth Baseball Exchange 2006 Activity Report - Baseball Clinic 1 | 2 BaseballBaseball ClinicClinic 11 Baseball Clinic 1 There were typically 5-8 coaches present at each clinic August 10, 2006 at Petco Park in San Diego, CA or game for the 24 players, an average of 3-4 players per coach. Despite the language barrier, interpreters were he San Diego Padres provided critically important able to provide translations as necessary,, enabling the T assistance with clinics for the 12 Japanese and 12 Japanese players to learn quickly. The clinics received American teenagers, 2 Japanese and 6 American very positive feedback from both the Japanese players coaches, and 6 host families throughout the program. and the coaches. Clinics and/or games were held from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm every day (except Sunday) at two Padres Community In all sessions, the Japanese and American players were Fields in San Diego. In addition and as a highlight of the mixed in groups according to their positions. This struc- program, the Padres hosted the first clinic at Petco Park, ture provided both parties with an opportunity to learn a truly unique experience for participants to play on a from each other and they quickly became friends. real MLB field. Players warmed up, took batting practice, and partici- The host families shuttled players to and from the clinic pated in drills and competitions on the outfield grass. locations each morning and always brought cold drinks The Padres had a welcome message in English and Japa- and fruit for the boys. They truly took great care of their nese on their jumbotron scoreboard and also provided a Japanese guests. Although some interpretation was nec- tour of the stadium, including an exclusive look at the essary, the international language of baseball frequently Padres’ clubhouse and training facilities, after the clinic. provided sufficient translations for the boys. Toward the Players were then treated to a lunch