Kashima Antlers would like to announce that the "Hometown Elementary School Visit" by top team players, which is part of our regional activities, will be implemented from Tuesday, September 29th for the 2026/27 season.
The purpose of this activity is to help children feel closer to the Antlers through interaction with the community. Since its inception in 2007, this year marks the 13th time this initiative has connected the club with the community. To date, we have visited a total of 330 elementary schools in our hometown and interacted with over 46,000 children.
Fostering "Community Bonds" and "Children's Dreams" through Real-Life Interaction
Kashima Antlers values "direct interaction time" between top team players and children. The main goal of this activity is to help children feel a stronger connection to the club by spending time and conversing with players they usually cheer for on screen or from the stands. Through the experience of directly feeling the passion and words of players living in the intense world of competition, we aim to encourage children and create unforgettable memories.
Furthermore, interacting and connecting with players who fight as representatives of their own city serves as an opportunity to foster "regional pride" in children. It is the mission of a professional sports club that walks hand-in-hand with the five hometown cities (Kashima City, Itako City, Kamisu City, Namegata City, Hokota City) to cultivate a deep attachment and pride for their local area in the next generation of children through the presence of Antlers.
In past visits, two-way communication has emerged where both sides give each other energy, such as sweating together during dodgeball or students surprising the players with cheering chants. After the visits, we have received many comments such as "I started talking about Antlers more with my family and friends, and I went to watch a game for the first time." We will continue this activity in the future.
This season, top team players will also visit each target school and interact with students through recreation activities where they move their bodies together, Q&A sessions, and more.
Updates on the visits will be posted on our official website and club social media. Please note that general public viewing at the schools is not permitted.
Implementation Outline
■Implementation Period (planned):
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 – Tuesday, October 6, 2026
■Target:
14 elementary schools in the five hometown cities