Saturday, October 27, 2007 The Uchidas' love for Davao and baseball By Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan
HE has a Davao-born Japanese grandfather who was awarded the Datu Bago award many years ago. Thus, the connection between Yusuke Uchida and Davao City has been knitted even before he was born.
Born to parents Kazunari and Ayumi Uchida on July 1, 1981 in Tokyo, Japan, Yusuke has his grandparents Tatsuo and Ayako Uchida to thank for bringing him to Davao when he was eight years old.
"During that time I first smelled the fragrance of Durian. I liked Durian at the first instance that I tasted the fruit. Until now, every time that I arrive at the Davao Airport, the first thing that reminds me that I'm back in Davao is the Durian smell that hovers around," he said in an e-mail interview with Sun.Star Davao.
Yusuke is the eldest child in the brood of three siblings. His younger brother Takayoshi is a professional baseball player in Can-Am League as a player of Quebec's Les Capitales while the youngest brother is a college baseball player.
Yusuke got into baseball upon the prodding of his mother. He started learning the sport at the age of seven. "My mother wanted met to get involved in sports while I was still a kid," Yusuke played baseball in high school as a catcher and outfielder of the Chofu Minami team.
"When I graduated from high school, I went to America in Florida to attend training and to join the professional baseball league in America. I was the infielder during the College Summer 'Wood Bat' League and we won in several tournaments," Yusuke recalled.
SUN.STAR DAVAO (SSD): What's with baseball that you want Davao kids to learn the sport?
YUSUKE UCHIDA (YU): In Japan, baseball is part and parcel of every boy's life. The discipline in baseball keeps us away from doing illegal or prohibited activities. Because of this sport, many Japanese are very disciplined and I want to share the same attitude with the players in Davao.
SSD: What brought you and your family here to Davao?
YU: Since my family is actively involved in baseball, I, being the eldest, was requested by my grandfather to help in the development of the sport in Davao. One of the reasons why we organized the Datu Uchida Development Foundation (DUDF) was because we want to extend our support in the field of sports. We want to awaken the interest of the Dabawenyos in baseball, which is not very popular here as compared with basketball.
I started gathering used baseball equipment from the different baseball teams in Japan. I was able to gather around 300 pieces gloves, 200 bats, body protectors, knee guards, helmets, shoes, caps, uniforms, t-shirts and more than a thousand balls for the Davao baseball teams.
SSD: Please tell me more about your foundation.
YU: Our foundation is not mainly for sports development. Since a relative of ours, Mr. Shuji Honda, is also a professional musician, we also help in the field of music especially in Flute/Recorder. We also sponsor the education of some underprivileged but intellectually gifted students through our scholarship program. It was my grandfather who built the shelter for the orphans at the DSWD-Reception Study Center for Children (RSCC) in 1991.
Our Foundation continues to give moral and financial support to the abused, neglected and surrendered children at the DSWD-RSCC. I and my grandfather are members of the support group of the orphanage called 'The Friends of RSCC'.
SSD: Your lolo was Datu Bago awardee, right? When did he get the award? Who gave him the award?
YU: Yes, my grandfather Tatsuo got the prestigious Datu Bago Award in 2002 together with late Mrs. Josefina San Pedro. I heard that he is the first foreigner, a Japanese, who was given the award because of his great contributions to the development of Davao City and his great love for Davao and its people. It was no less than Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who presented the award to him.
SSD: So, it was your grandfather who also encouraged you to help Davao baseball?
YU: My grandfather did not only encourage me to help Davao City in baseball, he has been very supportive of me. My whole family, my parents and brothers are giving me their full support and cooperation. Every time we hold the Davao Baseball Cup, they come to give me support.
SSD: How do you find Davao baseball players? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How can you differentiate Davao kids from those in Japan?
YU: The players are very obedient and trainable especially those who are in the elementary. The players in Calinan are very strong; I attribute that to their day-to-day activities. I observed that the children who follow instructions are also the ones who take good care of the equipment under their care. The difference between Japanese children and the Davao children are their EYES. Even if baseball is not the number one sport in this country, but I can see in the eyes of every Davao player -- their passion to learn and their eagerness to be trained. These kinds of eyes I rarely see in Japan's young generation today?
SSD: How often do you come to Davao in a year? What keeps you busy while in Davao?
YU: I come to Davao two or three times a year. I try to be present during the DCAA Games and, of course, I am compelled to be around during the Baseball Cup, which is hosted by my Foundation, and I, as the main organizer of the event. When I am around, I teach players here the basic techniques in baseball that I learned from my coach in Japan. I also distribute the equipment I gathered from Japan to different interested schools.
SSD: What do you like about Davao?
YU: I like the warmth of the Dabawenyos especially the children, they are always happy despite the difficulties and inconveniences in life. While it is true that I give training and instruction to the players, but they in turn are teaching me on how to enjoy life. I love to be in Davao because of the children who are full of life. I also like Philosophy Spa and Penong's chicken, very cheap yet undeniably delicious.
SSD: Have you tried speaking the Davao dialect? What are the few Davao words have you learned already?
YU: I am learning Tagalog. I use Tagalog words when I conduct training to the children because they sometimes cannot understand me if I speak to them in English. I find the following words very useful: Takbo, bilis, paspas, bakit, konti, ikaw, pulutin ang mga bola, meron, saan, ilan and many others.
SSD: Any message do you want to tell Davao youth and the Dabawenyos?
YU: I find Davao City a very nice and secure place. I can bring my family and friends here without fear because it is safe. Pero, there are some things that I think should be improved to make Davao City more livable. I want all the youth to be involved in sports like baseball or basketball. Sports instill discipline; it helps cleanse our mind, body and spirit. I want to be a part of the good transformation of Davao for the betterment of this place and its people, even through baseball. I want Davao to be known as the place of the homegrown talent in the international baseball arena. That is my dream... I want to realize that dream together with the Dabawenyos!
There you have it folks, spoken like a true Dabawenyo. Yusuke and his family have truly made a special place in the hearts of Davao people just like Dabawenyos made a special place in their hearts.
