"Guanglai, are you willing to serve as the team captain for the next two years?"
When Mr. Izumi asked this question, Lin Guanglai’s first reaction was to refuse—
Although the third-year seniors had already retired, the team still had strong second-year players like Shigetsugu and Yasuda. In the baseball club, where the relationship between seniors and juniors is highly valued, it seed unlikely for soone like him to take on the role of captain.
But when he looked up and saw the serious and earnest gaze of Mr. Izumi, Lin Guanglai could sense that this was a decision made after careful consideration.
With the retirent of third-year player Suzuki Kensuke, Waseda Jitsugyo urgently needed a captain who not only had skills and leadership but could also convince all team mbers to follow.
Among the three second-year starters selected for this sumr’s starting nine, Mr. Izumi had so dissatisfaction with each of them.
Chongxin Shen Zhong was a low-key, strong player, with outstanding skills but a sowhat reticent personality. He was quiet both on and off the field.
Kenshu Yasuda was a core mber of the team’s lineup, boasting a high batting average and strong power, with a very outgoing personality capable of connecting with all teammates.
However, his biggest drawback was his fluctuating form: once he encountered setbacks during a ga, Kenshu Yasuda would easily be affected, plunging into a depressive atmosphere from which he couldn’t extricate himself. Mr. Izumi found it hard to imagine the atmosphere in the team dugout during tough tis if Yasuda were captain.
As for Matsunaga Kenta, the team’s main shortstop, his batting and fielding skills were comndable, but his temperant was sowhat impetuous and needed more refinent.
The second-year key players all had so issues, which made Mr. Izumi hesitant to appoint a captain—during Lin Guanglai’s absence, Kenshu Yasuda served as the acting captain.
The idea of appointing Lin Guanglai as the team captain was thanks to the forr captain Suzuki Kensuke. After the Sumr甲 tournant, Suzuki approached Mr. Izumi to express his thoughts on making Lin Guanglai the team captain.
In Suzuki Kensuke’s view, the first-year Lin Guanglai’s abilities surpassed many third-year players. He had already won over the older players with his prowess.
In past gas, he frequently displayed strong psychological resilience, shouldering the team and rescuing it from predicants ti after ti.
Moreover, being the only first-year player selected for the Sumr甲 roster, Lin Guanglai maintained good relationships with the seniors; his cohort of first-year players subtly regarded him as a central figure.
If there was any hesitation, it was due to his too-young first-year status—but in a sports club where strength is paramount, this was hardly a concern.
Having considered Suzuki Kensuke’s opinion, Mr. Izumi also found the idea feasible and wanted to seek Lin Guanglai’s thoughts once he rejoined the team.
Lin Guanglai did not imdiately respond; he needed so ti to think.
Those who are capable are always required to take on more responsibility; this rule holds true everywhere.
To others, becoming the team captain as a first-year player seed like a glorious opportunity; however, it was far from simple.
Becoming captain indeed ant more attention; but with it ca greater pressure:
A player only needs to be responsible for themselves, whereas a team captain must account for the entire team—as long as the team keeps winning, it’s not a problem; but once defeated, the captain becos the dia and supporters’ target, inevitably.
Especially in a team like Waseda Jitsugyo, which is heavily scrutinized by the dia, Lin Guanglai could fully envision the storm of attention from Takano dia if he were to step into the captain’s role.
Lin Guanglai wasn’t afraid of responsibility; he was just pondering if he had the ability to be accountable to the entire team, to every ga, and to every team mber.
Seeing Lin Guanglai’s hesitation, Mr. Izumi didn’t push him for an imdiate decision but instead redirected the conversation back to stories from his ti in the U.S., and they enjoyed a pleasant chat.
As their conversation was winding down, Mr. Izumi received Lin Guanglai’s clear response.
"Mr. Izumi," Lin Guanglai said, with an unprecedentedly solemn tone, "I am willing to be the team captain."
"During this sumr’s Koshien, I couldn’t hit the final pitch, and seeing the seniors in tears, I felt very unwilling."
"So, if possible, in the upcoming autumn tournant, I hope the team can compete for a spot in next year’s Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournant."
"Our goal at Waseda Jitsugyo is singular—Japan’s Number One!"
Standing before his teammates, Lin Guanglai declared his captain’s manifesto with a loud voice and the most determined tone.
"This sumr, it was an honor to create wonderful yet regretful mories with our retired seniors."
"In the coming days, I also want to create shared mories with everyone—but this ti, I don’t want any regrets!"
"Everyone, let’s aim for the Senbatsu! This is my goal, and also our goal!"
"Let’s go further than this year, and stride toward the dream of Japan’s Number One!"
The passionate words echoed through the Sadaharu Oh morial Stadium and resonated in the heart of every mber of the Waseda Jitsugyo Baseball Club.
It must be said, Lin Guanglai was indeed a natural leader, capturing everyone’s hearts with just a few words:
As mbers of a prestigious private team, which player present didn’t want to beco a champion?
Moreover, the team, led by the retiring seniors, had achieved a notable fourth place this sumr; as their successors, showing a significant drop in performance would an acknowledging their incompetence, right?
Therefore, this batch of Waseda Jitsugyo players was also eager to prove themselves with tangible achievents—and securing a spot in the Senbatsu was that opportunity.
Unlike Sumr甲, there are no qualifiers for the Senbatsu; the selection committee chooses participants based on subjective evaluations.
Among the 32 teams selected, three spots are reserved for "21st-century quota" schools, awarded as a comndation for overcoming various adversities and serving as role models;
one spot is awarded to the region winning the Shengong tournant, and the rest are distributed among various regions.
Because the Kantou Region and Tokyo Region share a spot, Waseda Jitsugyo must at least reach the finals of the Autumn Tokyo Tournant to have a chance at a Senbatsu spot;
of course, winning the autumn tournant to secure a Senbatsu place would be the best outco.
The autumn tournant doesn’t divide into West Tokyo and East Tokyo districts like the Sumr甲 qualifiers, which also ans the competition is several tis more intense.
For this new Waseda Jitsugyo team, there’s much that needs to be done...
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