As a Zico Club Advisor with extensive knowledge of youth development around the world, including in my home country of Brazil, I am well aware of the importance of academies in football clubs.

I would like to send a special message to all Academy Support Club members on the occasion of the launch of Academy Freaks.

I look forward to sharing news of victories through Academy Freaks

Thank you to everyone who has joined the Academy Support Club for your extensive support and cooperation. I am personally delighted that Academy Freaks is being launched. I believe it is very important to share through the media what the Antlers Academy is doing.

I also feel that Academy Freaks will be very significant. By sharing the activities of numerous categories, including not only the youth team but also the junior youth, junior, and school teams, as well as the names of the players enrolled, the academy players will become aware that they are being watched and will approach their daily training with that in mind. This will surely be a great motivation for the players.

I became involved with the Antlers Academy when the club was founded in 1991. Together with my older brother, Éder, I explained the importance of an academy organization to the club, and it was established. More than 30 years have passed since then, and now numerous promising players have emerged from the academy and are excelling as professional players. With this history in mind, I hope that Academy Freaks will serve as a medium that inspires fans and supporters to take an interest in the academy's activities and support the next generation of players who will carry the future of Antlers.

Antlers still places great importance on the academy organization. It is extremely important for the club to recognize the importance of the academy. This is because an organization that develops young players plays a very important role in producing promising talent for the club. This is true not only for J-League clubs such as Antlers but also for clubs overseas in South America, Europe, and elsewhere.

The importance of youth development is increasing worldwide, and numerous competitions for various age categories, such as under-12, under-15, and under-17, are being held around the world. In my home country of Brazil, there are many competitions in which the academy teams of prestigious clubs such as Flamengo, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama, São Paulo, Corinthians, and Palmeiras participate, as well as Boca Juniors and River Plate in Argentina, and Real Madrid (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), and Ajax (Netherlands) in Europe. The Antlers academy team will undoubtedly gain an immense amount from participating in such competitions. First of all, they can experience a culture different from that of Japan, and by experiencing a different atmosphere and seeing different sights, they can also experience football styles different from their own.

The characteristics of players from different countries also vary. For example, South American players have a unique rhythm, while African players may differ from Japanese players in terms of physique and physical abilities. By experiencing these various differences in culture, atmosphere, intensity, and football styles, the players will grow and mature. Therefore, it is meaningful for the Antlers academy team to participate in international competitions.

If a player who grew up in the Antlers Academy and rose to the top team wins a title and brings great joy to fans and supporters, it will be extremely meaningful. We also expect great results in youth development by participating in various domestic and international competitions. I personally look forward to sharing news of victories through Academy Freaks.

In the past, many young players have emerged at Antlers and brought joy and inspiration to fans and supporters. Today, such players have become coaches and are responsible for developing the next generation at the Antlers Academy. For example, Technical Advisor Mitsuo Ogasawara and Youth Team Manager Atsushi Yanagisawa pass on the experience they have cultivated to the academy players. This is extremely meaningful for the future of the club.

Furthermore, many of you also contributed to the completion of the Academy Field through the 2021 crowdfunding project, "Everyone Building the Future of Antlers." The Academy House is also a facility that was built thanks to your support. The club is also continuing to improve the academy environment in various ways so that Antlers can remain strong in the future. And we believe that in such an environment, we can develop players who will bring new strength to Antlers.

From now on, while conveying the appeal of the Antlers Academy to everyone who has joined the Academy Support Club through the medium of Academy Freaks, we hope to receive your passionate support and develop many wonderful players. Since Academy Freaks is focused on the academy, we hope that many Academy Support Club members will watch it. And we hope to build the future of Antlers together with all of you who love Antlers.