Vol. 119: Passion Moves People

~Meeting Takahiro Miyaguchi🔥~

In Vol. 118, I wrote about "trusting your teammates," which I learned from Taiga Nasu.

This time, I would like to write about a dear senior I met during my university days,



Takahiro Miyaguchi, whom I met during my university days.

[1] A senior I met in a club

I met Mr. Miyaguchi when I was a sophomore in university.

At the time, there were no juniors in the university basketball team, and it all started when we met through a club and hit it off.

When I heard his story, I learned that Mr. Miyaguchi had started his own basketball team in high school, but he was the only member.

He continued to practice silently and alone in an empty gymnasium, and he was finally able to play in a game in his final year.

However, they couldn't win.

When I heard that,

"It's such a waste for someone so passionate to quit basketball in university."

That's what I thought.

"Let's do it together."

With those words, our challenge began.

[2] Days spent being serious about basketball

From then on, my days were truly filled with basketball.

Strength training twice a week.

Even on days without club activities, we would gather during lunch breaks to repeat shooting practice.

I want to get better. I want to win more.

I remember that having teammates who could share that passionate feeling was

the thing I was most happy about.

[3] The winter when it was just the two of us

But reality was not easy.

Because we weren't a powerhouse school, it was difficult to maintain motivation, and when winter came without any tournaments, members started quitting or taking leaves of absence one after another.

Before I knew it, there were only Mr. Miyaguchi, myself, and a manager in the gymnasium—only two players.

"Maybe we can't continue anymore."

I thought that many times.

Even so, Mr. Miyaguchi never gave up.

Because I was watching his back,
I couldn't give up either.

[4] The view I saw because we continued to the end

After we made it through the winter where we held on together, our teammates slowly started to return.

Teammates who had taken a leave of absence. Teammates who had been away for job hunting.

Underclassmen who joined the team.

And then came Mr. Miyaguchi's retirement game.

Ten teammates gathered on the court, and we were able to play the final game all together.

The joy I felt at that time wasn't about winning or losing.

It was the fact that we were able to stand on the court with our teammates because we didn't give up until the end.

[5] Passion moves people

There is something I learned from Mr. Miyaguchi.

It is that passion cannot be conveyed through words alone.

Daily effort. The sight of someone working harder than anyone else.

An attitude of looking forward even in difficult times.

That accumulation of actions gradually moves the people around you.

Now, I feel the same thing in the fields of community development and welfare.

People gather around those who act with passion.

That is why I want to make sure I never lose my passion, no matter what.

[Finally]

That winter, the time when there were only two of us in the gymnasium.

Looking back now, that time was what made us strong.

Mr. Miyaguchi, who never gave up until the end and kept believing in his teammates.

That figure of his is still my driving force today.

Thank you very, very much.

💬 Next Preview | Vol. 120

"A person who pours passion into the community."

I want to make the community better.

There is a city council member who continues to turn that thought into action.

Takeya Onida.

I would like to write about what I learned from his passionate feelings for the community and his attitude of continuing to take action.

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