CHAPTER 5: CHAPTER 5: THE FIRST DAY

"Welcome to Waseda Jitsugyo, I hope that over the next three years, whether in academics or club activities, everyone can fully enjoy and have a wonderful experience..."

Today is the first day of school, and the homeroom teacher, Mr. Komatsu, is delivering a long speech full of enthusiasm—but for Lin Guanglai at this moment, his heart is already with the baseball club.

High school baseball, the synonym for youth and passion, with over 4,000 schools across 47 prefectures in Japan, and only 49 teams can qualify for the Summer Koshien.

The single-elimination format gives each team only one chance; the winners advance with heads held high, while the losers can only leave with sadness; and among the 49 regional champion teams, only one can ultimately claim the title—98% of high schoolers will fail at Koshien and then become stronger.

Just thinking about it made Lin Guanglai’s blood boil.

At 3 PM, after the first day of classes ended, Lin Guanglai found Uesugi Yasuyuki in the neighboring classroom, and the two headed to the baseball club together.

On the way to the training ground, they encountered various clubs recruiting new members. Some of the clubs’ members attempted to persuade Lin Guanglai and Uesugi Yasuyuki to join, but their efforts ceased upon learning they were baseball club members.

As they headed towards the baseball field, despite just having finished class, many people were already gathering on the field from afar.

At the entrance to the field stood two figures, one of whom, the chubby old man, was none other than Mr. Izumi, the supervisor.

Not daring to be negligent, Lin Guanglai and Uesugi quickly stepped forward, bowing to Mr. Izumi standing at the entrance:

"Mr. Izumi!"

Upon seeing them, Mr. Izumi smiled, nodded, and approached to pat Lin Guanglai on the shoulder, introducing the person beside him with a smile: "Let me introduce, this is our team’s current starting pitcher and captain, Suzuki Keisuke, a third-year student this year."

"Hello, senior Suzuki!"

"Hello." Suzuki Keisuke, though slightly shy, still expressed his welcome to Lin Guanglai and Uesugi: "Welcome to the baseball club, feel free to ask for help if you encounter any issues during training; whether it’s me or the other seniors on the team, we’re happy to assist you."

Listening to the conversation, Mr. Izumi grinned and jokingly said to Suzuki Kensuke, "Kensuke, even though you’re in your third year, you must keep pushing yourself; Guanglai’s pitching is quite impressive, don’t let the juniors outshine you, hahaha. Alright, head to the field for training!"

Following Mr. Izumi’s lead, the group entered the field.

Upon seeing Mr. Izumi, those cleaning the field and preparing for training paused their activities, took off their caps, and greeted in his direction: "Mr. Izumi!"

Stepping forward, Suzuki Kensuke instructed: "Line up now! Seniors in one line, new members in another, quickly, quickly!"

The senior members from third and second grades were clearly accustomed to these instructions; they quickly organized themselves into lines. As a new member, Lin Guanglai naturally stood in a different line.

After forming the line, team captain Suzuki Kensuke first announced the daily training schedule:

The Waseda Jitsugyo Baseball Club is fully residential, designed to maximize time efficiency and dedicate more energy to training.

At 5:30 AM, second and third-year members must wake up, freshen up, and head to the players’ dining hall for breakfast; first-year members can wake half an hour later but must finish freshening up and eating before 7:00.

Morning training begins at 7:15, primarily indoor training including strength exercises in the gym, led by specialized coaches and the captain; occasionally, ball training elements are added.

The morning session ends at 8:15, lasting about an hour. After training, students pack their equipment and head to the teaching area for daily academic activities.

The collective afternoon training starts after school—after dismissal at 3 PM, first-year new members should arrive early at the baseball field for cleaning and preparation, with practice starting promptly at 4 PM.

The afternoon practice covers a wide range: including fitness, throw-and-catch drills, defense, batting, pitching, and other comprehensive exercises, continuing until 8:30 PM—with a 15-minute break for snacks and rest during training.

After the daily major training session, the players’ dining hall prepares a calorie-rich dinner, ensuring each player can replenish energy timely.

The time from the end of dinner to 10 PM is personal time; players may opt for extra practice or shower and then engage in free activities—lights are out in the dorms by 10:30 PM to ensure sufficient sleep for everyone.

In Japan, a day in the life of high school baseball players is destined to be fulfilling and busy.

After Suzuki Kensuke finished outlining the daily schedule, Mr. Izumi, standing at the front of the group, surveyed them and spoke:

"Today is the first day of the new semester. For the senior members, we couldn’t make it to Koshien last year and were miserably defeated in the regional qualifiers; I believe you’re more unwilling to accept that result than anyone else. For some of you, this year might be your last chance during high school. If you don’t want to shed tears of regret again, you must put in extraordinary effort every day—so even if you ultimately fail, you won’t regret, nor question why you didn’t try harder back then."

"As for the new members, first of all, welcome to Waseda Jitsugyo Baseball Club. Some of you may have joined just to enjoy the fun of baseball, while others came with dreams of Koshien—whatever your dreams are, it’s perfectly fine to have many kinds!"

"Cherish your time, cherish every opportunity to practice, constantly hone your skills, live each day without regret for your actions, that’s my biggest requirement of you;"

"—Don’t fear mistakes, because even professional baseball players make mistakes, what matters is to learn and improve from them quickly, ending the chain of errors with you. If you can do these, even if you may not become an excellent baseball player, you will surely have an outstanding life."

"Our goal is never to pursue victory blindly—enjoy every game’s process, cheer for yourself if you win, and applaud your opponents if you lose; that’s what I hope you will learn here."

"Now, let’s start with self-introductions from the first-year students; then, let’s begin training!"