Hiroko Sakai in action at the 2004 Olympic softball competition in Athens, Greece (Photo by Franco Bagattini)

IN MY OWN WORDS
2008-07-08

This is the latest in a series of athlete features we are running on internationalsoftball.com in the lead-up to the softball competition at the Games in Beijing next month. Today’s installment was written by Hiroko Sakai, who will play for Japan at the Olympics in August. She was also on the bronze medal-winning team in Athens in 2004.

When I first heard that the sport of softball will be excluded from the Olympic Program for the 2012 London Games I did not know what to think of. Seriously? It must be a bad joke! But, this became real.

I have participated in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Back in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, I was eliminated from the finalist of the Japan National Team selection. I was chagrined and felt so frustrated. I was mortified all the time when I saw the Olympic softball games on TV. I committed to myself that I will be back on that pitcher’s plate no matter what! I kept imagining myself on that plate to be the champion of all for four years. And I made it to Athens 2004. The pitcher’s circle that I had been dreaming for so long felt so good and cozy. I was grateful to be part of this best moment. Unfortunately, I was not able to hit the target, however I would be willing to pass this sensation through to the next generation players. And I was hoping that they would fulfill their dreams which I couldn’t reach.

I gave up my career as a player after the 2004 Olympic Games. It was hard for me to imagine myself being in to the responsible position like the Olympic Games in the next four years. Instead, I deemed what I can do now is to hand down my experience which was supported by many peoples to the coming generations. I signed with a sports equipment manufacturer and operated the kids clinic. I had a lot of opportunity to interact with the children and I had many good encounters. The boys and girls started to play softball after they had seen the Olympics and were encouraged by the Olympics. Most of them told me that their dreams are to become an Olympic player. From the juvenility, I re-realized the immensity of the Olympics. But this was the timing when I heard that bad news. I saw many boys and girls so disappointed around the country. I was praying that this must have been a misinformation.

One day my ex-‘battery’ partner, Noriko (Yamaji), offered me a chance to play one more time. She was promoted to the Head Coach of the Taiyo Yuden club. I decided to play again. I gave my best shot once I was back in the field and I still am.

I know what I must do now. I am fully responsible to live out the dreams of the children as one of the members who are running for Beijing believing that these girls will surely be at the field in 2016 Olympic Games. At this moment, we must make the best of it!