It looks like Hanshin Tigers alumni will be holding a hands-on learning program on July 27 (Sat), teaching kids how fun baseball can be.
※Captured from the Hankyu Hanshin Future Yume-Machi Challenge Team page
A free hands-on learning experience for elementary school students
As part of the Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Group’s social contribution activities, this is one of the hands-on learning programs for elementary school students under the “Yume-Machi Challenge Team” initiative.
On July 27 (Sun), coaches from the Tigers Academy (former Tigers players) will apparently teach the basics of “throwing” and “hitting” at Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
A parent or guardian must accompany each child.
Time
There are two time slots.
- 12:30～13:30
- 13:40～14:40
Each session has a capacity of 20 participants.
Who it’s for
Since the program covers the basics of “throwing” and “hitting,” it seems best suited for elementary school students who have not played baseball before.
With only 20 participants in that huge Koshien Stadium, this looks like it will be a pretty special experience.
Coaches
The coaches are from the Tigers Academy.
- Hirokazu Shiranita（pitcher）
- Kohei Shibata（outfielder）
- Naoto Tsuru（pitcher）
- Ryota Imanari（infielder）
- Ryuji Wakatake（pitcher）
It is unclear whether all of them will be there on the day.
By the way, the special adviser is none other than Yutaka Wada! I’m curious whether he’ll be there on the day too.
How to apply
You can apply through the website here.
Participants will be chosen by lottery, not on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline is June 17!
It seems you can apply for up to three elementary school students with one application.
In addition to this baseball experience, there are quite a lot of other appealing programs, so be sure to choose up to your third preference, which is required for the application.
There are lots of programs that feel like a KidZania-style job experience you can do on site. (It might even help decide a future dream.)
Final thoughts
Even children who feel unsure about throwing a ball might discover they’re good at it after trying this experience. This could be the first step toward a dream of becoming a future Hanshin Golden Rookie.
