The Establishment of Munenori Kawasaki’s Munerins

Spotted and photographed teaching enthusiastically in Fukuoka City!

From kindergarteners to elementary school students can come and go as they please,

The only rule is “Do not provoke and do not shout.”

Hit a professional slider that you rarely see in youth baseball!

“It seems that Munenori Kawasaki (42) appears in the park with elementary school students night after night, playing baseball. The team is called ‘Munerins.’ Everything else, including the schedule and the actual situation, is a mystery.”

A rumor reminiscent of the movie “Field of Dreams” is spreading in some parts of Fukuoka City. Based on interviews with relevant parties, when FRIDAY visited a certain park, a high-energy man was indeed passionately coaching kids under the cold sky. However, it was not at night but after school.

After base-running drills, batting practice, and the conclusion of a 7-inning game, we approached Munenin and spoke to him.

 

 

Munerin’s was really there, wasn’t it?

“Ahaha! You found me, huh?”

How long have you been doing this?

“When my oldest son was in kindergarten, it’s been five years now. At first it was just the two of us, father and son, but then more and more kids from the neighborhood started to gather (laughs).”

The oldest is in sixth grade, and although most of the members are elementary school students, kindergarteners, girls, and inexperienced players can come and go as they please.

“Every time, the members change. The only rule is ‘Don’t provoke or jeer.’ It’s also free to leave midway if there are other commitments like cram school. There’s no membership fee. I just ask for people to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram, saying, ‘Just a request to mom and dad, please~’ (laughs).”

At first, he announced the dates of their activities, but after too many people showed up and they had to play an 11-on-11 game, he simply said, “The Munerins are a guerrilla baseball school, so if you see them at the park, join us.”

“When the team I belong to, Tochigi Golden Braves, is on break, which is during the winter, we gather quite frequently, around twice a week. Sometimes, we may only hold it once a month. However, it’s heartening that people come together and ask, ‘When is the next Munerins?’

Initially, there were kids who would get upset about mistakes because they wanted to win, but now everyone plays while encouraging their teammates. When the number of players is low, they might decide on their own rules, like calling out with a pretend throw. Moments like these make me think, ‘Doing Munerins was a good decision.'”

“Munenori says, ‘I’m more interested in creating an environment where kids can come to love baseball and experience the excitement of sports, rather than being a coach.’ However, Munerins, which can be considered the origin of his dream, will disband in two years when the eldest son and the core members graduate from elementary school.”

“Continuing is not the goal. They have learned to enjoy baseball both as a team within society and as individuals. It would be great if, someday, they recall the time they played baseball with their friends during their youth and had fun with an old guy named Munenori.”

With these words, the young “evangelist” quietly left the park.

From the January 26, 2024 issue of FRIDAY