Our Town Inagi 2023: Minami Ryunosuke

JOC Tournament / 29th All Japan Junior Soft Tennis Championship Men's Singles U-17 Division Champion!

Ryunosuke Minami (15), a 3rd year student at Inagi Dai 3 Junior High School, won the championship at the JOC Junior Olympic Cup / 29th All Japan Junior Soft Tennis Championships Men's Singles U-17 (for students from 3rd year junior high to 2nd year high school) held in Hiroshima City on September 17 and 18. Minami expressed his joy, saying, "At first, I couldn't believe it. It's thanks to the support of those around me."

From Encountering Soft Tennis to the Present

Mr. Minami started playing soft tennis when he was a senior child living in Hachioji City. He followed his father, who was a member of a local soft tennis club, to practice and says he "started for fun." In the 4th grade of elementary school, he transferred to the well-known "Inagi Junior" due to its high level. Later, when he entered junior high school, he also moved his residence to Inagi City and enrolled in Inagi Dai 3 Junior High School, joining the strong soft tennis club.

Currently, I practice club activities four days a week, participate in Inagi Junior practice on Wednesdays when there are no club activities, and have matches, expeditions, and practices on weekends, so I face soft tennis almost every day without a break. To balance with my studies, I also attend a cram school twice a week after practice. There are morning practices starting at 7:30 AM, but I smile and say, 'I've never thought it was tough and wanted to quit.' When I asked about the charm of soft tennis, I was told, 'There are various strategies, and it's exciting to score points and win while thinking together with my partner.'

Defeated older competitors to win the gold medal! Future goals are...

The tournament is a highly competitive event where only players with excellent records or those recommended by the Japan Soft Tennis Association can participate. In the second round, Minami faced a second-year high school player who ranked third in the Inter-High, but she said, "On the contrary, I felt less nervous and excited," and from there, she advanced through the third round, semifinals, and finals. When asked about the moment of victory, she reflected, "I don't remember it well. Both my parents and I were just surprised, but when I returned to Inagi two days later and was congratulated by those around me, the joy welled up inside me."

"My parents drove me to and from practice every day, and the coaches from the Inagi Junior team practiced with us early in the morning. The advisor also made detailed adjustments, and the members I practiced with had a good relationship without any hierarchy. Thanks to that, I have been able to continue playing soft tennis without any worries," said Minami, expressing gratitude to those around her. Her future goal is, "To advance to Mie High School, which is a strong school in soft tennis and my father's alma mater, and to win the Inter-High Championship," she said with determination.