Report

Hometown Elementary School Visit: Kashima Municipal Hirai Elementary School

On November 9th, players Kanazaki and Oda visited Hirai Elementary School in Kashima City, where they interacted with 170 students from 4th to 6th grade in the gymnasium through juggling, running races, mini-soccer games, and dodgeball.

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First, Oda demonstrated juggling. He juggled the ball with his head, running from one end of the gym to the other without letting it drop. Next, Kanazaki competed against several students in a juggling challenge, with Kanazaki emerging victorious. Oda then faced off against a student from the soccer club. Since neither of them dropped the ball and the contest seemed endless, Oda tried to obstruct the student by using his body, but the student skillfully evaded him and continued juggling. Oda eventually dropped the ball, and the student won.

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Following this, they held a running race that involved going back and forth across the gymnasium floor. Despite switching between boys and girls for the challenges, the players overwhelmingly dominated the students.

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In the mini-games, players Kanazaki and Oda, along with two Antlers staff members, played against six student representatives. In the first game, Kanazaki and Oda scored to win 3-0. In the second game, they conceded an early goal but came back to win with goals from both players. In the third game, they conceded a goal due to an own goal by a staff member. However, with a penalty kick from Kanazaki and a brilliant goal from Oda after a dribble, they secured a come-from-behind victory of 3-2.

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In dodgeball, they played against each grade from 4th to 6th, with each grade divided into red and white teams. Kanazaki joined the red team, and Oda joined the white team. The 4th graders played with two balls, while the other grades played with four balls, making it a multi-ball game. There were moments where Kanazaki aimed for Oda, resulting in an intense match.

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The final interaction was a Q&A session with the players. A student asked Kanazaki, "How can I get better at shooting?" Kanazaki replied, "It's important to have a strong will to definitely score." Oda was asked, "How nervous do you get before a match?" He answered, "I get so nervous before a match that my legs tremble, but the nervousness disappears after kickoff."

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The players gave out signed pennants, and the students presented them with bouquets. The interaction concluded with Kanazaki's greeting, "Please use your kids' pass and come to a game!"

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