Before saying 'The physical gap with the world is...', there are things Japanese people must do.
Watching world tournaments, I hear things like,
'Foreigners are just bigger after all.'
'It can't be helped because Japanese people have a physical disadvantage.'
I hear voices like that every single year.
Certainly, that is true.
The average height is different.
The reach is different.
The muscle mass is different.
These are facts.
However, what I question is,
is the physical build really the reason for losing?
That is the question.
For example, if you look at the NBA,
players who are only 190cm tall are thriving.
In Europe, guards in the 180cm range are also competing against the world.
So, are they competing solely on physical ability?
No.
・Processing speed
・Cognitive ability
・Positioning
・Spacing
・Timing
・Off-ball movement
・Decision making
In other words,
they are competing with their brains.
On the other hand, what about Japan?
From elementary school,
'Run more!'
'Speak up more!'
'Show more spirit!'
'Dribble past them!'
It's nothing but coaching like that.
While the world is training cognitive ability,
Japan is training grit.
With this, the gap will not close.
Of course, physical build is important.
That is precisely why
nutrition,
sleep,
strength training,
jump training,
and sprinting
must be scientifically built up from the developmental years.
However, in Japan,
there are still people who believe the urban legend from decades ago that 'strength training stunts your growth.'
Science has long since moved forward.
In fact, there are Japanese players who can compete on the world stage.
What they have in common
is not that their physical build was special.
It is that they were raised according to world standards.
Thinking.
Seeing.
Judging.
Building the body.
They have been stacking these things for years.
We must not think,
'It's impossible because we are Japanese,'
but rather,
'How can we develop players so that even Japanese people can win?'
The physical gap cannot be changed.
However,
the development environment can be changed.
Coaching methods can be changed.
Training can be changed.
Match experience can be changed.
That is why,
before lamenting the physical gap with the world,
I want to rethink Japan's development environment.
What really needs to change
is not the height of the children,
but the common sense of the adults.