As you are aware, we have a lot of students who actively participate in athletic activities at Canadian Academy. And did you know that we also have many student athletes who are successful outside the school? In this article, we would like to introduce some of the great CA athletes from our secondary school. These student athletes kindly answered our questions and shared their great achievements!
Xavier Mito (Grade 12) - Fencing
Xavier's sporting journey started in 5th grade. At first, he fenced because the sport and community were fun, but as he continued, he realized his serious passion and involvement in the sport. Fencing clubs are still not all that common in Kansai, and he found himself in the difficult situation of not being able to practice as often as other fencers simply because there was no one to spar against. Instead of getting fighting practice, he reflected and analysed his game to find out where he could improve. He says, 'My coach would constantly remind me of Ishiki, or "consciousness." By being conscious of each movement and moment, I gained a deeper understanding of my game. Eventually, the Japanese Olympic coach took me under his wing, and I joined practices at the Olympic National Training Centre in Tokyo.'
Conrad Miller (Grade 11) - Ice Hockey
Conrad has been playing hockey for around ten years and currently plays for the Kobe Jets Ice Hockey Team. Interestingly enough, he initially did not want to play hockey. However, his brother, who tried the sport before he did, seemed to enjoy the sport so he started playing it, too.
Yusei Masuda (Grade 10) - Ice Hockey
Yusei has been playing hockey for nearly ten years and is currently a member of the Kobe Jets Hockey Team. When he was young, he didn’t feel very motivated to play this sport, but a lot of people around him, such as his brother and friends, were playing, which has motivated him to play it for the past ten years.
Rei Kitamura (Grade 9) - Soccer
Rei started playing soccer at the age of six in Hong Kong. When she was in middle school, she moved to Rokko Island to play football for Inac Kobe, which she continues playing for.
Toshitada Higaki (Grade 7) - Sailing
Toshi sails on the Open Skiff but mainly the Optimist, a boat practiced in more than 120 countries, and the sport with more than 200,000 registered boats. He practices sailing on Saturdays and Sundays, and he has been doing this for five years (since Grade 3). He and his teammates not only practice but also participate in races. Some of the races they participate in can be small, hosted by another team, or, it can be as big as 81 individuals competing for number 1! He is a member of the B&G Hyogo Junior Team, and the team mainly practices in Ashiya Yacht Harbor. They also go to other places like Enoshima and Gamagori to practice.
Yura Miura (Grade 7) - Golf
Yura started competitive golf after watching the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She belongs to Nakajima Golf Academy on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ririco Hallberg (Grade 6) - Golf
Ririco has been passionate about golf for the past two and a half years; in her words, ‘I’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing the very serious, and sometimes painful, game of competitive golf.’ She first became interested in golf when her good friend, Yura Miura, introduced her to the competitive world of golf. She was so inspired that she asked her parents to support her dream also to try her hand at golf. After countless hours of intensive lessons, and painfully sore muscles, she finally became skilled enough to play her first round of 18 holes a few short months ago.