ASAI KIDS UNITED: A Hospital-Based Baseball Team Producing Future Stars

ASAI KIDS UNITED, an after-school baseball team based in a hospital, has produced two junior high school players in just three years as its founding.

This rapidly growing team has quickly become a powerhouse, developing two NPB Junior players within three years of its establishment. ASAI KIDS UNITED (hereinafter referred to as “ASAI KIDS”), operates in Togane City, Chiba Prefecture. Despite a declining local baseball population, the club’s unique management style has earned it acclaim, currently boasting 46 members and attracting attention from across the prefecture. Let’s explore what makes this team so appealing.

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The parent association of ASAI KIDS is the adult softball club of the Seiwakai Medical Corporation Asai Hospital, located in the same city. the togane/Kujukuri area in northeastern Chiba Prefecture faced a serious decline in baseball interest, with the number of after-school teams dwindling from over ten to just two. Amidst this situation,Kounosuke Noguchi,the hospital’s executive director and baseball team manager,stepped forward as the representative and manager of ASAI KIDS.

“Because we were in such a critical situation, I decided to create a baseball team that meets the needs of children and parents who want to join, rather than using old-fashioned management and training methods.”

Director Noguchi, a graduate of the Josai International University baseball team (which has a campus in the city), launched ASAI KIDS in 2022 with a deliberate philosophy of “going against the grain.” Having witnessed his own sons experience the burdens of conventional “Showa-style coaching” and demanding parental duties on other youth teams, he believed a different approach was needed. “If we did the opposite,” he reasoned, “the number of baseball players would increase.”

To alleviate the burden on parents, ASAI KIDS doesn’t require parental involvement in team operations – not just practices and games. There are no on-duty requirements, and parents aren’t expected to assist with practices, secure fields, or provide transportation for trips. Furthermore, “we don’t ask parents for announcements or scores; the manager’s staff (hospital staff) will assist as needed.”

conditioning Management Incorporating Medical care and Cutting-Edge Sports Science

ASAI KIDS also takes a unique approach to coaching. Activities are held on the hospital’s artificial turf field from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to weekends.They develop a yearly plan, divided into five phases, setting training periods and practice menus. Their guiding principle for technical instruction is “enjoy enhancement,” rather than havin