On Friday, August 1, the High Heat Baseball Rookies from New Jersey, USA visited our school to kick off the international exchange program with the Ritsumeikan Uji Junior High School Baseball Club. This marks the fourth consecutive year and fifth overall for this special program, offering students a valuable opportunity to build connections across language and cultural barriers.

This year, the Rookies brought nine players aged between 9 and 18. Among them, three are returning participants who had previously visited, and their joyful reunions with our students added warmth to the day.

From our school, second- and third-year junior high students took part. Many of them have been involved in this exchange since their first year, and though they were well-prepared, communicating in English still made them a bit nervous.

In contrast, returning participants who met again after previous exchanges were all smiles, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere right from the start.

The first day began with a simple opening ceremony. Our team captain, Shimosaka, gave a welcome speech in English, which was interpreted by IP Course students Izumiya and Isomura. Their confident performance in a real-world English setting served as great inspiration for their peers.

Practice sessions included catch and batting drills to help the Rookies get used to Japan’s unique “rubber baseball.” The American students, unfamiliar with the soft, urethane-made bats, referred to them as “special bats” but quickly adapted, hitting impressive shots in no time. Even with unfamiliar equipment, the shared love of baseball became a bridge for communication beyond words.

The first day was mostly a warm-up, but students already showed mutual respect and openness toward one another. In the days to follow, joint matches at Ritsumeikan Junior High and even deeper cultural interactions are planned.