Roster Announced
10th BFA 18U Asian Championship - Hiroshi Takahashi assumes duties as manager of 18U National Team
4/14/2014
The Japan High School Baseball Federation (Takayasu Okushima, Chairman) has decided that Naruto-Uzushio Prefectural High School Baseball Club Manager, Hiroshi Takahashi, would assume the duties of manager of the Japan National High School Baseball Team which will participate at the 10th BFA 18U Asian Baseball championship to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from September 1 to 7, 2014.
As for the 18 players, they will be selected from those that participated in the 86th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament and the 96th Japanese High School Baseball Championship. After the invitational tournament primary selection of candidate players will be done and it is planned that final choices will be made during the summer championship series.
(However, it is also possible that players who did not participate in the spring and summer national championships could be selected.)
Also, two coaches are scheduled to be selected by the end of May.
In addition, nine committee members mainly from the Japan High School Baseball Federation Technique and Promotion Committee will be in charge of the selection process.
At the 18U Asian Championship eight countries and regions, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, South Korea, Pakistan, The Philippines, China, Japan and Thailand are scheduled to participate.
Hiroshi Takahashi's history as a manager follows below.
Hiroshi Takahashi Personal History
Born in Ehime Prefecture on February 4, 1955 (59 years old)
In 1980 he assumed the duties of baseball club manager at Naruto City Technical High School(Now Naruto-Uzushio Prefectural High School) and has held that post to the present.
Results in the National High School Baseball Championships as Naruto City Technical High School baseball club manager
Four appearances in the championship tournament
Four appearances in the invitational tournament
Runner-up in the 74th tournament
Q and A with Manager Hiroshi Takahashi
What were your true feelings on being chosen as manager of 18U?
It's really too much of an honor and I wonder if I am the right person for the job. Compared to past generations of managers, I feel that my past results and capabilities are not enough for the role. Having taken on the job, though, I'm going to devote all my energy to victory.
Are there any teams, players or games that have left an impression on you from the spring selection?
Meitoku vs. Chiben Wakayama in the first round
The managers from both schools have been a great help to me and I have deep friendships with both of them. Before the selection I had both teams play a practice game and I felt they were similar in terms of ability. I think Meitoku has the advantage in terms of overall power but, as I expected, it turned out to be an overtime game that was like a clash of wills. It was really an impressive game. Among the individual players, Tanaka from Toyokawa and Yamaoka from Hiroshima Shinjo left a strong impression on me. Both have a dynamic and lively form and I'd like to use them the most in international tournments.
Besides aiming to be the number one Asian team among the eight countries and regions, what other strengths of Japanese baseball do you want to show?
I'm aiming to play "small baseball" with a high degree of accuracy and perfection. I want to have a team that is able to attack from any position and in many ways. That's why I want to choose players with fast legs.
