CSR around the world <Japan> – 2009

"Using volunteer service leave for the development of Zimbabwe's volleyball culture"
I taught volleyball in Zimbabwe for 18 months from October 2006. I worked for a university and coached the university volleyball team, teams at nearby elementary, junior high and senior high schools, amateur clubs as well as the national team. One thing I always kept in mind was to let people feel the three joys of sport: the joy of playing, the joy of watching and the joy of teaching. These people had never been coached before, and they improved their skills every day. When I saw this, I felt the joy of teaching at a level I had never felt in Japan. I also trained local people to become coaches, not just athletes, in order to ensure that their skill was maintained. And even now, after returning to Japan, I look forward to watching the development of the athletes I trained. I believe that this will lead to mediumterm and long-term development and support for Zimbabwe's volleyball culture. I look forward to visiting Zimbabwe in a few years and playing volleyball on the unkept grounds using old balls with the athletes I trained. The local people who I met through this experience supported and inspired me to constantly stay positive and search for each others' strengths. This enabled me to act more proactively. I hope that I can create an environment that helps others to be positive, just like the local people there are. As a founding member of the Yokohama Beach Volleyball Federation, I now am using my experiences in Zimbabwe to serve as a bridge between the local community and top athletes.