During the demonstration, players Aoki and Tanaka showcased their juggling techniques, drawing exclamations of "Amazing!" from the children. When they displayed their ball-keeping skills, first and second graders enthusiastically chased the ball, trying their best to steal it.
From this point, the children's excitement grew, and just five minutes into the session, when the coach asked, "Who wants to challenge the players?", every hand shot up. It was challenging for the older children to keep the ball from being taken, and there were even moments when the children successfully stole the ball and won.
First and second graders departed at this point, after a commemorative photo. From here, the interaction continued with third to sixth graders.
The recreation with third and fourth graders was "dodgeball." Before the third graders started their huddle, player Aoki suggested a fun cheer: when he said "Onigiri!", the children responded with "Oh!".
Both players Aoki and Tanaka were hit by the children and moved between the outer and inner fields, showing how energetic the children were, aiming with all their might.
For fifth and sixth graders, it was "Dodgebee." Even player Aoki admitted he had "never heard of it," but it was a game where players threw soft frisbees at opponents. With complex trajectories and moments where players almost caught it but couldn't, resulting in an out, it offered a different kind of fun compared to dodgeball.
Mid-game, a girl threw a Dodgebee that veered far off course and landed perfectly in the basketball hoop. This miraculous moment was met with loud cheers.
After the recreation, commemorative photos were taken with each grade. The event concluded with words of thanks, gifts from the players, and a final farewell arch formed by all the children.
Player Aoki's Greeting
"Thank you very much for today. It was my first time playing Dodgebee, and it was a lot of fun. We usually practice in Kashima and play matches at the stadium, so if you'd like to see some soccer, please come to the clubhouse or stadium and cheer us on. Thank you so much for a truly enjoyable time."
Player Tanaka's Greeting
"It was great to interact with everyone. There's a match this weekend, so please come and support Antlers!"