How Keio High’s Baseball Team Won Koshien with the Power of Delegation
– What is the unique culture of Keio High School?
“The introduction of the recommendation system in 2003 marked a turning point. After that, there were internal students, general admission students, and recommendation students, all of whom became part of the school. In the baseball team, about 40% are internal students, 30% are general students, and 20-30% are from the recommendation system. Recommendation students come from top senior and boys teams across the country. However, unlike other schools, there are cases where recommendation students fail the entrance exams. A minimum grade of 3.8 average is required. The baseball team’s interests don’t directly affect this. The recommendation system has about 40 spots across different fields, not just sports, so there’s some variation in strength from year to year. What’s interesting is that the recommendation group doesn’t necessarily dominate the regular lineup.”
– In the summer of 2024, the team reached the top 16, and in the autumn tournament, they were eliminated in the top 8. With the variation in strength in the competitive Kanagawa region, could this variation be a disadvantage in their pursuit of Koshien?
“The general admission students have a strong will because they’ve passed the most difficult private schools in the Tokyo area. The internal students have grown up with a unique culture. The recommendation is that students have their own pride in baseball. When these three distinct groups come together, the chemistry they create can make for a powerful team. 2023 was just such a team. Throughout my reporting, many people said that the previous year’s team had more talented players and more power. However, the key difference in the 2023 team was that they had closer communication with Coach Mori.
When I asked who the key players were, the names of Katsuji Kiyohara, Kiyohara’s son, and Kento Hayashi, the coach’s son, came up. Katsuji wasn’t a regular in his last summer, and Kenjin didn’t even make the bench. The fact that these two were named shows that every individual had their role in the team, and the chemistry made the team stronger. In fact, as the team advanced through the tournament, they kept improving, and by the final against Sendai Ikuei, they were at their strongest.”
The Prince says, I want to open a jazz bar in my old age.
– As a reporter who has followed the “KK generation,” did you have any special emotions when covering Katsuji Kiyohara?
“I’ve admired the KK duo since I was little, and after joining Hochi (newspaper), I had the opportunity to cover Masumi Kuwata when I was assigned to the Giants. Probably, I’m the only reporter who has covered all of them — Shogo, Katsuji, Maki, and Matt (laughs). I feel blessed. From my perspective, Katsuji resembled his father in many ways. He was the mood maker, and his approach to baseball was similar. His teammates all said that ‘Katsuji’s presence brought media attention, and his attitude towards baseball had a positive influence on everyone.’
Shogo, on the other hand, inherited his mother’s sense of elegance and sociability. He has a bright personality and a strong star presence. It’s truly remarkable that after a six-year break, he became the fourth batter for the Tokyo Big Six University Baseball League. His challenge was made possible by the Keio culture. His mental toughness and ability to control his mindset in following the path he believed in are incredible. He was unfortunately not drafted, but as a reporter, I honestly wish I could see more of his baseball career.”
– What was the most surprising aspect when covering Keio High School’s baseball team?
“I interviewed 21 people involved with the team, and the common thread among them was how interesting their stories were. To put it simply, their ability to verbalize was extremely high. They even read business magazines and engaged in discussions as a team as part of their training. Regarding Katsuji, usually, when there is a player who attracts so much attention, the people around them tend to get anxious. But the team members are so capable of thinking and speaking thoughtfully that there was never any special treatment for him. The same goes for Maruta, who was referred to as ‘Keio’s Prince.’ When I asked about his future dream, he casually said, ‘I want to open a jazz bar when I’m older’ (laughs).”
– Finally, what aspects of Keio High School’s baseball team will you be focusing on in the future?
“It may be difficult for them to make it to Koshien every year in the highly competitive Kanagawa area. However, I expect another talented team to emerge, and I’m optimistic that they will accomplish something amazing. In the course of my interviews, there wasn’t a single leader who said, ‘We will follow in the footsteps of past examples.’ I think this will continue going forward.
In my 20s, I used to write with the goal of producing ‘catchy articles.’ I had a victory-first mindset. But after covering Keio High School, I was deeply influenced by their attitude toward learning and their process. Now, I want to stay close to the players, get closer to their true feelings, and understand their essence. As long as my physical strength holds up, I want to continue my fieldwork as a reporter.”
You can read more about “Keio High School Baseball Team” – “The Power of Delegating” That Nurtures People here!
Reporting and writing： Fumiaki Kurioka
