Report for demonstration and development of Soft Tennis by Japanese team in Europe

The demonstration and the clinic are given in Hungary, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and France

Nobuhiro Nishimura
Vice President
Japan Soft Tennis Association

In the Beginning
A real activity was begun as for an international spread of soft tennis in the latter half of 1980's.
The spread of Asian region was chiefly promoted for about ten first years, and the Asian Soft Tennis Federation was established as the result in 1989. The signatory (region) increased with establishment, and it came to count about 25 countries (region) now.
Moreover, participation was achieved in international, integrated games as an open game of Asian Games Beijing in 1990, it is taken up in the official program in 1994 afterwards in Asian Games Hiroshima, and it extends to the present. Moreover, East Asian Games adopted Soft Tennis as the official program since 1997.
Energies is devoted to the spread to Europe to leap further, and the result is being achieved gradually in the meantime in recent years.
The spread to Europe began to dispatch the Japanese promotion team to Rome, Italy in 1999 at the first step and entered a new step to internationalize Italy, Hungary, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany and England and for result Hiroshima World Championship in 2003 in the deepen of the exchange with each country of Europe various shape afterwards.
However an international spread of soft tennis excludes a part of Asia, Europe is especially in the state of just attaching to the beginning, and each country is still immature, and development and established in the future are unknowns.
A current result of the activity was promoted, a new chance was made in the Netherlands and France, and it seemed that extremely important timing in the meaning that took opportunity to European whole area before long though this dispatch was done in such a situation.
It seems, as there was a result that is also splendid the reaction of each country, and surpasses our target that the demonstration and the clinic were held in various places.

The members of Japanese team for Europe

Team Leader; Mr.Nobuhiro Nishimura (Vice President of JSTA & Secretary General of ISTF)
Accompaniment Director; Mr.Satoshi Tanabe (Nagase Kenko Ltd.)
Accompaniment Director; Mr.Ken'ichi Tanzaki (International Member of JSTA)
Participation from on January 20
Coach; Mr.Yoshiaki Kanaji (Toshiba Electric Company in Himeji City)
Participation from on January 20

Players
Mr. Shigeo Nakahori
Mr. Tsuneo Takagawa
Ms. Harumi Gyokusen
Ms. Ayumi Ueshima

Itinerary
January 15 (Sat) Departure from Tokyo to Budapest in Hungary
16 (Sun): Demonstration & Exchanging match
17 (Mon): Demonstration & Clinic for juniors
18 (Tue): Transfer to Bruno in Czech by train
19 (Wed): Demonstration, Exchanging match & Clinic
20 (Thu): Transfer to Amsterdam
21 (Fri): Demonstration, Exchanging match & Clinic
22 (Sat): Transfer to Paris
23 (Sun): Demonstration, Exchanging match & Clinic
24 (Mon): Leave for Tokyo
25 (Tue): Arrive at Tokyo

Budapest in Hungary

Opening Ceremony; Introduction of Japanese delegation, Address by Mr. Nishimura and Mr.Toda (Secretary, Japanese Embassy in Budapest)
Introduction of Hungarian participants
Showing sample of training way for soft tennis
Match by Hungarian juniors
Exchanging matches by Japan vs. Hungary for single & doubles
Demo. Matches by Japanese players for single & mix doubles
Second day
Practice; Yesterday's junior members were mainly deliberately practiced. All movements were also active, it followed to practice the Japan style with Japanese players speedily hard, and it seemed that a considerable level as a junior because it had become accustomed considerably.
President Lucatz guided to new Tennis Club under construction now in the afternoon on this day.
This court opens in April this year, and European Championships, ISTF certified international tournament and the international junior competition of soft tennis have been concretely planned in August.

Bruno in Czech

Venue; DIS tennis club in Bruno City
First court; Used for exchanging match by Japanese vs. representative of Czech
Second court; Free practice
Participants were 2 boys, 2 girl juniors who had come from president Suda's local Habirof, in addition to junior Hungarian team members having been led to Mr.Lucatz, and about 30 people also the spectator and here that had come to it for the inspection in addition of the coverage of the TV station etc.
Though the player who challenged Mr.Takagawa (Japanese player) in singles was a university student of 22 years, he showed a wonderful stroke and strong service, sometimes afflicted Mr.Takagawa. If an excellent player in a body ability of Europe seriously works on soft tennis, it is sure having seemed to oppose it at the level of Asia.

Amsterdam in Holland

Venue; Amsterpark sports center
Participants; 50 people including regular tennis players, concerned people of tennis association, representative of tennis club, coverage of newspaper and secretary of Japanese embassy etc.
It stood out especially in the participant that the teacher led 20 boys and girls school children and those children did the experience study. And also the player of the wheelchair enjoyed four-person stroke and the game.
Though we had the same experience at all venue in this time, children were chasing the ball indeed happily and it became accustomed to soft tennis at once.
Japanese player's mixed doubles left a strong impression by becoming of time insufficient naturally here as for the exchange game of Japanese player and local player.

Paris in France

Venue; Villepinte
Participants; 30 people including regular tennis players, concerned people of tennis club, and spectators, in particular mayor of Villepinte also came to attend.
In the afternoon of this day, since the final of local regular tennis tournament were done here
so many spectators watched the demonstration of Japanese players and were surprised its high skill and technique.
We soft tennis was introduced again according to the closing ceremony of the regular tennis tournament and the shield of commemoration was given by the mayor of Villepinte.