AASC Banquet

昨晩、Ann Arbor Swim ClubのBanquetがあり、勝が写真を送ってきてくれました。今年はBob Bowmanコーチのスピーチがあったのでしょうか？
明日はPioneer HSのBanquetです。Seniorは一人ずつスピーチをすることになっています。勝が何を話すのか聞いてみたいです。

勝、コーチDan、Robert

Robert、アシスタントコーチJeff、勝

200Fr決勝のハプニング

無事FloridaからAnn Arborに到着したとの連絡がホストファミリーからありました。17時間のドライブで、途中給油休憩だけだったそうです。
また大会ではAnn Arbor Swim Clubの女子が女子の部優勝で、総合では3位に入ったそうです。Margaret Kellyは最多得点者で表彰されたそうです。

同じメールの中に200Fr決勝のハプニングについても記載されていました。

午後の決勝セッションで200Fr決勝のスタートリストを見たところ、勝の名前がB決勝に書かれていたそうです。チームの父兄やコーチが主催者に理由を確認したところ、決勝はアメリカ人しか泳げないとの説明だったそうです。これまでに聞いたことがなく更に問い合わせたところ、新しいルールでまだ採決が取られていないとの説明だったようです。チームから、まだ採択されていないルールを適用するのは不公平だとクレームしたところ、最終的に勝は決勝を泳げるようになったとのことでした。

選考会のかかった日本選手権や、アメリカの選考会では、当該国の国籍のないものは決勝を泳げないとのルールが明記されていますが、今回の大会要綱にはVISAステータスによる参加資格のことは記載がありますが、決勝に外国人が出場できないとは記載されていませんでした。もし私が現地にいたら、きっと怒っていたんじゃないかと思います。

勝が送ってきた200Fr表彰の写真。真ん中で写って欲しかったですね。

Jr. Nationals 3月25日の結果

25日、最終日の結果です。

200IM予選 1:57.42 45位
24.58-55.37 (30.79)- 1:30.98 (35.61)-1:57.42 (26.44)
ベストタイムのペース
25.19-56.44 (31.25)-1:31.58 (35.14)-1:56.27 (24.69)
と比べると、バタフライと背泳ぎのペースは良いのですが、自由形が2秒近く遅くなっています。前半がんばりすぎたのかな？

50Fr予選 21.82 43位
先日のリレーの第1泳者のときのほうが速かった。勝の場合リレーでベストが出ることが多いような？

400メドレーリレータイム決勝 3:38.28 36位
1) Hass, Jason 26.50-55.14 (55.14)
2) Koba, Sho 1:23.31(28.17)-1:55.72(1:00.58)
3) Steele, Robert 2:20.34(24.62)-2:48.52(52.80)
4) Schmitt, Derek 3:11.80(23.28)-3:38.28(49.76)
勝はなんと第2泳者で平泳ぎを泳いだようです。100Brのベストタイムが1:04.31ですから、引継ぎを考えてもすごく良いタイムで泳いだことになります。プールが短かったのか？

Swimming World Lane9の記事です。

ということで、4日間で14本のレースが終わりました。途中で電話して様子を聞いてみましたが、けっこう疲れているようでした。
フロリダからはホストファミリーと一緒に車でミシガンまで帰ってくることになっています。大会終了後にフロリダを出発して、１泊２日で日曜日の夜にアナーバーに戻ってくる予定です。約1200マイル(1900km)ほどの距離を走って帰り月曜日から学校に行くことになっていますが、大丈夫なんでしょうか？

Jr. Nationals 3月24日の結果

24日の結果です。

500Fr予選 4:43.10 62位
24.47- 51.27 (26.80)-1:18.65 (27.38)-1:46.86 (28.21)-2:15.28 (28.42)-2:44.23 (28.95)-3:13.72 (29.49)-3:43.61 (29.89)-4:13.77 (30.16)-4:43.10 (29.33)
ベストから9秒ほど遅いタイムです。

100Fly予選 51.23 17位
24.11-51.23 (27.12) ベスト更新
500Frの結果は悪かったのですが、100Flyはベスト更新でした。今回は短い種目の方が良いのかな？

400Frリレータイム決勝 3:11.39 17位
1) Koba, Sho 22.36-46.21 (23.85)
2) Steele, Robert 1:08.56 (22.35)-1:33.71 (47.50)
3) Hass, Jason 1:56.22 (22.51)-2:21.61 (47.90)
4) Schmitt, Derek 2:44.94 (23.33)-3:11.39 (49.78)
第1泳者でしたが、100Frのベスト更新はできませんでした。

Swimming World Lane9の記事です。女子400FrリレーでAnn Arbor Swim Clubが優勝したので紹介されています。

Jr. Nationals 3月23日の結果

23日の結果です。

50Fly予選 23.23 10位
50Fly決勝 23.03 11位
決勝はタイムを0.2秒上げましたが、順位は一つ下がってしまったようです。

200Fr予選 1:40.38 6位
23.52-48.97(25.45)-1:15.13(26.16)-1:40.38(25.25)
200Fr決勝 1:38.45 2位
22.92-47.97 (25.05)-1:13.43 (25.46)-1:38.45 (25.02)
昨年に引き続き2位でした。今年こそは1位を取れるかと思っていましたが残念。でも直前に出した熱の影響も無くなってきているんじゃないかと思います。

800Frリレータイム決勝 6:54.99 6位
1) Koba, Sho 23.22-48.74 (25.52)-1:15.00 (26.26)-1:40.77 (25.77)
2) Hass, Jason 1:56.13 (15.36)-2:30.36 (49.59)-2:58.09 (1:17.32)-3:24.89 (1:44.12)
3) Steele, Robert 3:48.60 (23.71)-4:14.53 (49.64)-4:41.37 (1:16.48)-5:08.29 (1:43.40)
4) Schmitt, Derek 5:32.96 (24.67)-5:59.90 (51.61)-6:27.59 (1:19.30)-6:54.99 (1:46.70)

Swimming World Lane 9の23日の記事です。200Frは男女ともArizona Desert Foxの選手が優勝したと書いてありますが、実は2位は男女ともAnn Arbor Swim Clubの選手です。

Jr. Nationals 3月22日の結果

昨日フロリダの大会に出場している勝に電話で様子を確認しましたが、熱は下がった様子。飛行機に乗っていったので耳の調子が悪いとのことですが、「こんな状態のときにどこまでタイムを出せるかやってみる。」との頼もしい返事でした。ホームステイで少しは成長してきているようです。

昨日22日の結果がWebに出ていました。熱を出したわりにはまずまずのタイムかと思います。

100Fr予選 46.26 9位
22.40-46.26 (23.86)
100Fr決勝 46.43 10位
22.64-46.43 (23.79)
決勝でタイムを落としていてはだめですね。

200Frリレータイム決勝 1:27.07 19位
1) Koba, Sho 21.67 ベスト更新
2) Hass, Jason C 43.24 (21.57)
3) Steele, Robert R 1:04.76 (21.52)
4) Schmitt, Derek R 1:27.07 (22.31)
リレーを第1泳者で泳がせてもらったようで、50Frのベストを更新することができました。

Swimming World Lane 9の22日の記事です。Ann Arbor Swim Clubのチームメイトで同じPioneer HSのMargaret Kellyが200Baで優勝して記事に名前が載っています。

Junior Nationalsエントリーリスト

本日3月21日からFloridaのOrlandoで行われるJunior Nationalsのエントリーリストが発表されています。
勝は今日の午後にOrlandoに移動しますが、ホストファミリーからメールがあり、昨晩から熱を出していて、午前中に行く予定だった学校を休んでいるようです。先日の高校のState大会では目標のタイムに届いていなかったので、今回のJunior Nationalsで狙っていく予定でしたが、どうなることでしょうか？
Swimming WorldのLane 9 Newsにも大会の記事が出ています。

以下は出場予定種目/エントリータイム/エントリー順位です。

3月22日(水)
100Fr / 45.79 / 6番
200Frリレー / 3:07.54 / 6番

3月23日(木）
50Fly / 51.88(100Flyのタイム） / 49番
200Fr / 1:38.16 / 1番
800Frリレー / 6:58.65 / 17番

3月24日(金）
500Fr / 4:37.85 / 42番
100Fly / 51.88 / 60番
400Frリレー/ 3:07.54 / 4番

3月25日(土）
200IM / 1:56.27 / 69番
50Fr / 21.95 / 89番
400メドレーリレー / 3:28.72 / 7番

junior Nationalsの行われるThe Orlando YMCA Aquatic Centerのプール。
写真は長水路仕様にコースロープが張られていますが、今回の大会では横方向に25ヤードのコースとしてセットされます。

Detroit Newsの記事

3月12日にDetroit Newsに出ていた記事です。
State大会の予選の後に私もインタビューされましたが、一言だけコメントが掲載されていました。せっかく10分くらい話をしたんですから、もっと載せてくれればいいのにと思いました。
「win_or_lose_teens_give_their_all__031206__the_detroit_news.htm」をダウンロード

'Sho Time'

Saturday was the final curtain call for "Sho Time" in Ann Arbor. And Sho Koba didn't disappoint.

A senior who moved to Ann Arbor from Japan with his family in the summer of 2003, Koba added three more state swimming titles -- and a pair of state records -- to his impressive list of career accomplishments, leading Ann Arbor Pioneer to its fourth championship in five years.

Koba, a 2008 Olympic hopeful for his native Japan, defended his titles in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, setting a Division I record (1 minute, 38.16 seconds) in the latter. He also anchored Pioneer's 400 freestyle relay team to victory, also in state-record time (3:06.77).

In the stands cheering was one tired but elated father. Hiro Koba and his wife, who moved to Ann Arbor after his job transfer to the Toyota Tech Center, returned home in January.

But Sho, whose sense of humor has made him a hit with his classmates, stayed behind, moving in with teammate Jason Hass and his family to finish out the school year.

"At the airport when they left, there was no hugging or anything like that -- their culture's a lot different than ours, obviously," said Pioneer coach Dennis Hill, who now has 27 state titles to his credit -- 14 of them with the Pioneer boys team.

"But there were definitely tears. It was a tough decision for them. But I think it has been good for Sho -- he has really matured, his English has improved tremendously, and he really has dealt with it well."

His father said much the same Friday, barely 24 hours after arriving in Detroit from Japan and a whirlwind week of business travel in Europe to watch his son's final high school meet.

"It is a good opportunity for him -- a learning experience before he goes to college," said Hiro Koba, whose son will attend Michigan State University on a swimming scholarship in the fall while also continuing off-season training alongside Michael Phelps & Co. in Ann Arbor.

Sho and his parents have stayed in touch through weekly phone calls and e-mails, but Saturday's celebration certainly offered a more personal touch -- and that meant the world to Koba.

"I'm very happy they were here to see this," he said, smiling.

ご来豊

今日は緒方さんが訪ねてきてくれました。昨年の夏にお会いして以来半年ぶりでした。日帰りで岐阜、名古屋、豊田でのお仕事と、お忙しいところにもかかわらずご連絡いただき大変嬉しかったです。新しいシーズンもすぐに始まり、より一層お忙しくなると思いますが、体に気をつけてご活躍いただきたいと思います。

緒方さんと

State大会Finalの観戦者

State大会の決勝にBob Bowmanコーチ、Jon Urbanchekコーチ、東島一生さんが観戦に来ていました。私は応援に夢中でしたが、カメラマンをしていた玲奈が見つけて写真を撮ってくれていました。Bob Bowmanコーチ、Jon Urbanchekコーチを見分けられる普通の女子高校生は日本には中々いないのではないでしょうか？

左からBob Bowmanコーチ、Jon Urbanchekコーチ、東島一生さん

Detroit NewsのState大会記事

Sunday, March 12, 2006
Swimming: Division 1

Pioneer repeats as champions
Ann Arbor school pulls away from Brother Rice midway through meet for 14th state title overall.strong>
Matthew A. Goricki / Special to The Detroit News
「pioneer_repeats_as_champions__031206__the_detroit_news.htm」をダウンロード

ANN ARBOR -- The Ann Arbor Pioneer boys swimming team did what it always seems to do on championship weekend.

Pioneer gained separation in the middle of the Division 1 meet and won its second consecutive championship and 14th overall Saturday at University of Michigan's Canham Nataroium..

Pioneer finished with 246 points, outperforming Birmingham Brother Rice (228) in the second half of the meet. Livonia Stevenson (201.5) was third.

After six events, Pioneer led Brother Rice by just 11 points heading into the 100-yard freestyle. Pioneer senior Sho Koba won the event (45.94 seconds) and teammate Chris Buck took second (46.30), helping Pioneer take a commanding 158-122 lead.

"It's a full meet because you have all these different events," Pioneer coach Denny Hill said. "We scored everybody except in the diving, breaststroke and 500 free. The meet goes like that with all the different events and the flow. That was very big for us, to get that big lead."

Koba also was part of two Division 1 records, winning the 200 freestyle (1:38.16) and anchoring the 400 freestyle relay (3:06.77).

"I just trained hard this year," Koba said. "Last year, I did pretty good. This year, I kept on trying to go the fastest. I set a goal time from the beginning of the season to go faster."

Pioneer easily won the finals last year, finishing 105 points ahead of the second-place team. Hill said the pressure on his team was elevated.

"I think the pressure this year was because they won so big last year," Hill said. "The pressure was on them all year. If they screwed up it really made you look bad. They held together pretty good and came out real nice."

Holland's Adam Dejong set the Division 1 record in the 500 freestyle (4:31.21).

Matthew A. Goricki is a free-lance writer.

Detroit Free PressのState大会記事

Detroit Free PressのState大会決勝に関する記事です。
「pioneers_claim_14th_state_swimming_title2006.03.11.htm」をダウンロード

Pioneers claim 14th state swimming title
March 11, 2006
Email this Print this BY WRIGHT WILSON

FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
Denny Hill is familiar with the routine by now: take off shoes and socks, roll up pant cuffs, stuff wallet in coat, hand cell phone to assistant, empty pockets, remove watch, get dunked in pool.

Another recognizable part of the post-meet celebration for Hill, the Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming coach, includes accepting the state championship trophy. Hill and the Pioneers won their 14th state title Saturday at University of Michigan’s Canham Natatorium, their second straight and fourth in the past five years.

Pioneer scored 246 points, holding off challenges from Birmingham Brother Rice (228), Livonia Stevenson (201.5) and Northville (200).
“It sure doesn’t get old,” said Hill, in his 38th season as coach. “The trouble we had was that we were expected to win. People thought we were so good that anything we did wrong wasn’t going to work, so there was a lot of pressure.”

The three other contending teams were within striking distance, but the Pioneers went out with a bang, setting a Division 1 state record in the final race. Chris Buck, Jason Hass, Robert S teele and Sho Koba swam the 400 freestyle relay in 3:06.77, breaking their mark of 3:08.18 set in Friday’s preliminaries.

“I think we did pretty good,” Koba said.“I thought we could go fast, and to break the state record was our goal this year. Everyone went as fast as we can so we could get the title.”

Koba, who was voted swimmer of the meet, defended his individual championships in the 200 freestyle (a state-record 1:38.16) and the 100 free (45.94). Koba, a native of Japan, has won eight events at state since moving to Ann Arbor three years ago.

Buck made it a 1-2 Pioneer finish in the 100 free and was also runner-up to Grand Haven’s Joe Schmitt (21.15) in the 50 free.

Schmitt’s older brother, Adam, won the same event in 2004, but Joe said he didn’t draw upon his brother’s advice in order to swim well Saturday.

“I like to prep for it in my own way,” he said. “The 50 is all-out. I just try to get a good start, bury my head and keep going, so I can get a good time.”

Holland’s Adam DeJong set a state record in the 500 free for the second consecutive day (4:31.21).

Other individual champions included Northville’s Chris Keady in the individual medley (1:52.66), Lake Orion’s Brandon Figurski in diving (407.60 points), U-D Jesuit’s Tony Wahl in the butterfly (50.11), Zeeland’s Jordan Diekema in the backstroke (51.28) and Walled Lake Northern’s Roman Sandler in the breaststroke (59.36). Brother Rice won the 200 medley relay (1:35.67), and Stevenson took the 200 free relay (1:25.61).

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会記事

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会決勝に関する記事です。勝の写真も掲載されていました。
「MLive_2006.03.12.htm」をダウンロード

Koba's big day, record-setting final relay nets another title
Sunday, March 12, 2006
BY ROB HOFFMAN
News Sports Reporter

Any suspense whether Pioneer High School would capture its fourth boys swimming state title in the last five years disappeared Saturday afternoon when Chris Buck wrapped up the first leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Pioneer entered the final event of the Division 1 swimming championships at University of Michigan's Canham Natatorium with a 10-point lead over second-place Birmingham Brother Rice. To win the title, all Pioneer needed was a runner-up finish in the 400 relay.

But that wasn't part of the agenda for Buck or any other member of Pioneer's team. The senior, who finished second in the 50 and 100 freestyles earlier in the afternoon, had a substantial lead by the end of his 100-yard leg. His teammates kept building on it until Sho Koba touched the wall at 3 minutes, 6.77 seconds - nearly 4 seconds ahead of second-place Northville and more than a second ahead of the state-record time of 3:08.78 set by the Pioneers at last year's state meet.

With its final flourish, Pioneer locked up an 18-point victory over Rice to win its second straight title and the 27th overall for Pioneer coach Denny Hill, who now has 14 boys titles and 13 girls titles.

"That's a lot of championships,'' said a sopping wet Hill, who celebrated the title by jumping into the Canham pool with swimmers, his wife Liz and his other assistant coaches. "Every one of them is special.''

The victory dip was part of a raucous celebration that included Pioneer swimmers waving a homemade "PHS'' flag on the medal stand, wild cheering fans slathered with purple body paint tooting horns and Koba donning a rubber Buddha mask that he had brought with him for luck.

But Koba, a Japanese transfer student who will swim at Michigan State University next year, really didn't need luck as he closed his prep career by once again showcasing his amazing speed.

Besides anchoring the 400 relay, Koba captured his second straight 100 free and third straight 200 free title. In the latter event, he also broke the state record for the third straight year.

"I wanted to go a little bit faster,'' said Koba, who was named Division 1 boys swimmer of the year at the end of the meet, "But it's still good.''

Describing Koba as "something else,'' Hill also had high praise for the other nine swimmers on his state team who helped push Pioneer into the lead for good by the fourth of 11 events.

Among other highlights were Buck's two runner-up finishes, Jason Hass finishing second in the 100 butterfly and fifth in the 200 individual medley and Chris Buck's younger brother Pat placing third in the 100 back. The only events without a top-eight Pioneer finish were the 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and diving.

"The kids were really competitive,'' Hill said. "We had some great swims where we almost didn't need them.''

Hill said his swimmers deserve a lot of credit for overcoming obstacles this season that included early season losses and trying to live up to the standards of the 2005 team, which won the championship by a whopping 105 points.

"The pressure was on them all year,'' he said. "They held together pretty well.''

No other local school finished in the top 10. Saline was highest with a 12th-place finish, followed by Huron (23rd), Pinckney (26th), South Lyon (30th) and Brighton (32nd).

Rob Hoffman can be reached at rhoffman@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6814.

帰国しました

日本に戻ってきました。デトロイトの出発は1時間ほど遅れました。飛行機に搭乗してからタイヤを2本交換するとのアナウンスがあり、作業が終了してすぐに出発でした。途中は映画を見ることもなくグッスリ眠って、あっという間の13時間のフライトでした。
セントレア空港への着陸の際は、滑走路の端に何台かの車両のヘッドライトの明かりが見えました。着陸後タキシングウェーでストップし、今度はタイヤの点検とのことでした。パイロットのアナウンスでは、タイヤのトレッドラバーが剥離していないか確認するとのことでしたが、危ないタイヤに交換していたのでしょうか？何れにしても無事に日本に到着したので良かったです。

勝は13日の月曜日からAnn Arbor Swim Clubの練習に戻りました。3月21日から25日はフロリダで行われるJuniorNationalsに出場する予定です。State大会では目標としていたタイムを出すことができませんでしたので、今シーズン最後の短水路の大会になるこの大会で、しっかりベストを出してもらいたいと思います。

State大会優勝盾

帰国します

昨日の日曜日は久しぶりに家族四人で過ごしました。ショッピングに行ったり、食事をしたりと、何の変哲もない時間でしたが、笑いにあふれた時間を過ごすことができ大変うれしかったです。

勝もミシガンでの生活を不自由なく過ごしており、ホストファミリーや-沢山の友人家族の暖かい気持ちのおかげだと大変感謝しています。たったの2ヶ月ですが、勝も少しはしっかりしてきたように感じました。本当にありがたいことです。

帰国後に記事をアップしようと思いますが、新聞のインタビューなども、2年前とはずいぶん違い、しっかり受け答えできていたようです。遅かれ早かれこのようなタイミングは来るのでしょうから、大学進学に向けても今回は丁度良かったように思います。

Steele家のゲストハウスでの談笑

State Champion

高校最後のState大会も、無事チャンピオンを獲得することができました。大会後のパーティーもみんな上機嫌で、あっと言う間に時間が過ぎていきました。

200Fr 1:38.16 優勝、大会新記録、ベスト更新
23.01-47.89 (24.88)-1:13.07 (25.18)-1:38.16 (25.09)
200Frは3年連続で優勝&大会記録を更新することができました。

100Fr 45.94 優勝
22.32-45.94 (23.62)
100Frは2年連続優勝でしたが、昨年のタイムを更新することは残念ながらできませんでした。

200Frリレー 1:26.43 3位
1) Buck, Chris 21.45
2) Hennigar, Dustin 43.42 (21.97)
3) Steele, Robert 1:05.34 (21.92)
4) Koba, Sho 1:26.12 (20.78)

400Frリレー 3:08.18 優勝、大会新記録
1) Buck, Chris 22.45-46.43 (46.43)
2) Hass, Jason 1:08.92 (22.49)-1:33.58 (47.15)
3) Steele, Robert 1:56.05 (22.47)-2:21.16 (47.58)
4) Koba, Sho 2:42.99 (21.83)-3:06.77 (45.61)

勝は今年もSwimmer of The Yearに選ばれました。

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会予選の記事

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会予選に関する記事です。予選の結果順位が決勝になれば、Pioneerは2位に16点差で優勝できるようです。

Pioneer maneuvers into title position
Perennial state power solid in preliminaries from top to bottom

Saturday, March 11, 2006
BY ROB HOFFMAN
News Sports Reporter

Dustin Hennigar won't win an individual title when the Division 1 swimming championships wrap up today at the University of Michigan's Canham Natatorium.

But Friday's performance by the Pioneer High School senior has a lot to do with why coach Denny Hill's squad is in position to capture its fourth state title in the past five years.

Swimming in the first, and usually slowest heat, of the 50-yard freestyle, Hennigar dropped a nearly a second off his previous season-best time. His time of 21.98 seconds wound up being good enough to capture the 16th spot in the consolation final of the event - guaranteeing Pioneer some unexpected points in the event.

"I was kind of counting on it,'' he said. "We go into the state meet not seeded the best. But by the end of the day, it looks good for us.''

That was certainly the case Friday as Hennigar and other Pioneer swimmers either met expectations or did better during preliminary competition.

No scores were officially kept Friday. But if the times from the preliminaries were to carry over into today, Pioneer would beat its closest competitor Birmingham Brother Rice by 16 points.

"We feel pretty good, but it's still not over,'' said Denny Hill, who is trying to capture his 27th state championship and his 14th with the boys team. "It's so close that anything can happen.''

One thing that is unlikely to happen is anyone beating Pioneer senior Sho Koba, who is poised to capture his third straight 200 free and second straight 100 free title. His time in the 200 is more than a second better than the closest competitor, while second-seeded teammate Chris Buck is the only swimmer within a few strokes of Koba in the 100.

Buck, who is the top seed in the 50 free, also combined with Koba, Jason Hass and Robert Steele to claim the top seed in the 400 free relay by more than two seconds.

In all, Pioneer placed nine swimmers in event finals, three in consolation finals. The only events without a Pioneer entry are the 100 breast and 500 free. All three of Pioneer's relay teams are also in the finals.

Saline's Conor Christie had the most astonishing performance by a local swimmer. The junior was seeded second-to-last in the 100 breast and had to swim in the first heat with the slowest qualifiers.

Yet Christie proceeded to drop more than three seconds off his best time and grab the eighth and final spot in today's finals. Christie also is on the Hornets' 200 medley relay team that made the finals.

"That was exactly my goal time,'' said Christie, who credited his regained form to the team's training regimen prior to the finals. "I was so broken down all season, I never thought I'd do that.''

Rob Hoffman can be reached at rhoffman@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6814.

Detroit Free Pressの記事

Detroit Free Pressに勝の記事が載っていました。
「mick_mccabe_sho_time_is_wave_of_future.htm」をダウンロード

MICK MCCABE: Sho Time is wave of future

March 10, 2006

A little more than 2 1/2 years ago, Sho Koba didn't really want anything to do with the United States.

He was more than happy growing up in Japan and working toward a berth on his country's Olympic swimming team.

He was content to stay behind when his father was transferred to the metropolitan Detroit area but changed his mind when he thought it might be useful to learn the English language.

And now? Well, Koba had the opportunity to return to Japan when his father was transferred back, but it's tough to get the kid back on the farm after he's seen the big city, so to speak.

"I'm living with the family of a teammate," said Koba, a senior at Ann Arbor Pioneer. "I want to stay in America because I like the swimming program in the USA. There are many Olympians here."

In a couple of years, we will be able to count Koba among them.

This weekend may very well turn into Sho Time again as Koba sets his sights on four more Division 1 state titles. He'll swim two events as an individual and two as part of a relay team as Pioneer guns for its 14th state championship.

A year ago, Koba won the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyles, as well as a couple of relays. This season, his times rank among the top six in six events and he made the state meet cut in seven events.

He has also adapted to life in America so well that he signed a national letter of intent to swim at Michigan State.

During the course of the last year, his English has improved remarkably. He can now carry on casual conversations easily.

"I think it's improved since my parents have gone," he said. "I speak English all the time now. At home, I used to speak Japanese."

For his first two years at Pioneer, Koba took English as a second language. This year, he is taking regular English.

He has even grown fond of some American food.

"I like potatoes and Caesar's salad," he said. "French fries, only out of season -- too much fat in them."

Koba fell in love with the MSU campus and liked the athletic academic center. He plans on majoring in mechanical engineering, just like his father.

But before he pursues that as a vocation, he has his swimming to think about.

He wasn't sure where his swimming career was headed when he first arrived at Pioneer. He would look at coach Denny Hill and listen, but nothing registered. After all, Hill was speaking English.

"My English was pretty low," Koba said. "It was all very confusing. I wasn't sure what I was doing."

Hill even tried messing with Koba's entry into the water in which he kicks his legs behind him, creating a wave.

Eventually, Hill figured out that Koba's entry was fine and they would live with the wave.

During the last three years, Koba has become just one of the guys on the Pioneer team. He jokes with his teammates and they joke with him.

Before an event in the league meet a couple of weeks ago, Koba looked at a teammate in the next lane and kiddingly suggested: "My wave will crush you."

Get ready for Sho Time.

Contact MICK McCABE at 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com.

State大会予選結果

今日は朝の8:30から並んで予選の応援に行ってきました。8:30には既に40人くらいの列ができていたので、明日はもっと早く出かけなくては。

「06d1prelims.htm」をダウンロード

200Fr 1:38.88
23.01-47.91(24.90)-1:13.63(25.72)-1:38.88 (25.25)

100Fr 45.96
22.14-45.96(23.82)

200Frリレー 1:26.43
1) Buck, Chris 21.35
2) Hennigar, Dustin 43.44(22.09)
3) Steele, Robert 1:05.56(22.12)
4) Koba, Sho 1:26.43(20.87)

400Frリレー 3:08.18 大会新記録
1) Buck, Chris 22.64 47.10
2) Hass, Jason 1:09.29 1:34.65
3) Steele, Robert 1:57.40 2:22.54
4) Koba, Sho 2:44.28(21.72)-3:08.18(45.62(23.90))

今から観戦に向かいます

昨日ミシガンに到着しました。あっちこっち回った後、宿泊させていただくRobertのゲストハウス(といっても私の日本の家より広い)に到着。泊まるところだけでなく、冷蔵庫の中には食材がいっぱい用意されており、お米も買ってくれていました。大変木を使ってもらって恐縮しています。

勝は昨日の練習後、チームメートみんなで頭髪のシェービングをして、その後チームディナーに行きました。ホームステイ先に戻ってきたので、顔を見てきましたが、元気そうでしたので安心でした。大会に備えてパートナーストレッチもしましたが、上手くテーパーできているようで、筋肉も柔らかく張りがありました。背中と広背筋は大きくなっているようでした。

ということで、これからＳｔａｔｅ大会の応援に行ってきます。カバさんの強い念力もあり、きっといい結果を残してくれると思います。

State大会注目選手の記事

Ann Arbor NewsにState大会の地元注目選手の記事が出ていました。勝がホームステイしているところのJason Hassも取り上げられています。
これから私たちもState大会の応援にアメリカに向かいます。
「MLive_2006.03.08-1.htm」をダウンロード

The state swimming finals
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
FINALS FACTS

When:
Friday and Saturday.

Where:
Division 1: University of Michigan's Canham Natatorium
Division 2: Eastern Michigan University's Jones Natatorium

Friday's schedule:
Preliminaries at both sites begin at noon.

Saturday's schedule:
Championship finals at both sites begin at noon.

LOCAL SWIMMERS TO WATCH

Sho Koba (Pioneer, 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle)
The senior is the defending Division 1 champ in both events, and he set records at the SEC meet. He also holds the D-1 record in both events.

Jason Hass (Pioneer, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly)
The junior made top-eight swims in both events at last year's championships, including a third-place performance in the 100 fly.

Kyle Begley (Saline, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle)
The senior is a returning state qualifier. He placed seventh in the 200 at last year's Division 1 meet, and finished only behind Koba at the SEC meet.

Scott Yarbrough (Tecumseh, 100 breaststroke)
Yarbrough returns to the Division 2 state meet, where he finished eighth in the 100. His recent swim to a Southeastern Conference title will make him a top-five favorite this weekend in Ypsilanti.

Kirk Kumbier (Dexter, 200 IM, 100 breaststroke)
He finished fourth in the 100 at last year's Division 2 meet. He'll also swim on a pair of Dexter relays that should make strong showings this weekend.

Ｓｔａｔｅ大会エントリーリスト

State大会のエントリーリストが発表されました。勝が出場する200Fr、100Frは1番エントリー、200Frリレーは4番エントリー、400Frリレーは1番エントリーです。今年もチャンピオンを獲得して欲しいです。
「06d1psych.htm」をダウンロード

Event 2 Boys 200 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
ALL CLASS: 1:36.73 1994 Eric Matuszak, BH Andover
Division I: 1:38.51 2005 Sho Koba, AA Pioneer
2005 Champ: 1:38.51 Sho Koba, AA Pioneer
Meet Qualifying: 1:49.59
Name Year School
===============================================================================
1 Koba, Sho SR AA Pioneer 1:39.99
2 Dejong, Adam SR Holland 1:41.02
3 Brown, Dave SR Lake Orion 1:42.38
4 Farris, Brad SR Northville 1:43.43
5 Savonen, Benjamin L JR Monroe 1:44.66
6 Schramm, Mark A SO Monroe 1:44.85
7 Forrest, Ricky JR Lake Orion 1:45.15
8 Diekema, Jordan JR Zeeland 1:45.41

Event 7 Boys 100 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
ALL CLASS: 44.43 1994 Eric Matuszak, BH Andover
Division I: 45.79 2005 Sho Koba, AA Pioneer
2005 Champ: 45.79 Sho Koba, AA Pioneer
Meet Qualifying: 49.89
Name Year School
===============================================================================
1 Koba, Sho SR AA Pioneer 46.38
2 Brown, Dave SR Lake Orion 46.94
3 Schmitt, Joe SR Grand Haven 47.13
4 Ruhland, Garrett SR Lake Orion 47.71
5 Shields, Justin SR Anchor Bay 47.78
6 Buck, Chris SR AA Pioneer 47.81
7 Savonen, Benjamin L JR Monroe 48.15
8 Healey, Mark JR Jenison 48.23

Event 9 Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
===============================================================================
ALL CLASS: 1:22.80 1996 Birmingham Brother Rice
Pawlewicz, Parrish, Swinteck, Scussel
Division I: 1:26.47 2005 Ann Arbor Pioneer
Hennigar, Steele, Curtis, Koba
2005 Champ: 1:26.46 Ann Arbor Pioneer
Hennigar, Steele, Curtis, Koba
Meet Qualifying: 1:32.99
School
===============================================================================
1 Livonia Stevenson 'A' 1:27.03
2 Jenison 'A' 1:27.05
3 Grand Haven 'A' 1:27.12
4 Ann Arbor Pioneer 'A' 1:28.42
5 Northville 'A' 1:28.92
6 Zeeland 'A' 1:29.17
7 Lake Orion 'A' 1:29.44
8 Grandville 'A' 1:29.87

Event 12 Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
===============================================================================
ALL CLASS: 3:04.87 1998 Birmingham Brother Rice
Lange, Parrish, Pawlewicz, Kowalski
Division I: 3:08.78 2005 Ann Arabor Pioneer
Curtis, Hass, Buck, Koba
2005 Champ: 3:08.78 Ann Arbor Pioneer
Curtis, Hass, Buck, Koba
Meet Qualifying: 3:25.59
School
===============================================================================
1 Ann Arbor Pioneer 'A' 3:12.01
2 Northville 'A' 3:13.03
3 Lake Orion 'A' 3:13.76
4 Jenison 'A' 3:13.98
5 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 'A' 3:15.45
6 Livonia Stevenson 'A' 3:15.47
7 Holland 'A' 3:15.82
8 Grand Rapids Forest Hills 'A' 3:16.07

今シーズンベストタイム

コーチのDenny Hillから、Pioneer HSのメンバーの今シーズンのベストタイムを送ってもらいました。勝は今年こそは全種目State大会標準カットを目指していましたが、やはり平泳ぎはカットすることができませんでした。

200 Freestyle State大会標準タイム 1:49.59
1:39.99 Sho Koba
1:46.11 Chris Buck
1:46.82 Jason Hass
1:46.83 Robert Steele
1:48.31 Josh D’Angelo
1:48.99 Pat Buck
1:51.16 Matt Gauthier
1:51.45 Dustin Hennigar
1:52.77 Mark Buster
1:54.18 Peter Keeler
1:58.27 Ed Lee
1:58.92 Brian Gregorka
1:59.09 David Greiner
1:59.51 Conor Callam
2:00.05 Thibault Pham
2:00.79 David Hiemstra
2:00.79 Andrew Weichmann
2:01.55 Peter Lundholm
2:04.94 Kevin Jensen
2:06.18 Tom Magner
2:07.99 Andrew Anderson
2:08.15 Kenichi Osawa
2:08.30 Matt Kaucheck
2:08.94 David Ferrara
2:08.91 Nik Mrdalj
2:10.31 Patton Doyle
2:10.41 Bentley Goenka
2:12.36 Jack Tesar
2:14.01 Danny Jenkins
2:17.10 Evan Reynolds
2:21.06 Alex Rigney
2:22.48 Peter Court
2:30.38 Lee Schwinghamer
2:48.64 Mahmoud Mahmoud

200 Individual Medley State大会標準タイム 2:04.99
1:56.27 Sho Koba
1:58.62 Pat Buck
1:59.00 Jason Hass
2:02.12 Chris Buck
2:04.26 Robert Steele
2:05.56 Peter Keeler
2:06.73 Josh D’Angelo
2:08.33 Pat Whitehead
2:09.57 Dustin Hennigar
2:09.84 Brian Gregorka
2:13.19 Thibault Pham
2:13.58 Mark Buster
2:13.65 Conor Callam
2:14.54 Matt Gauthier
2:15.37 Kenichi Osawa
2:15.99 Ed Lee
2:16.73 Kevin Jensen
2:17.89 Ethan Eaton
2:19.31 David Greiner
2:19.86 Matt Kaucheck
2:21.17 Corey Gross
2:22.42 David Hiemstra
2:22.73 Andrew Weichmann
2:23.56 David Ferrara
2:27.35 Andrew Anderson
2:28.65 Ton Magner
2:30.64 Bentley Goenka
2:30.71 Patton Doyle
2:32.68 Evan Reynolds
2:34.35 Danny Jenkins
2:34.52 Pat Dayton
2:35.22 Peter Lundholm
2:35.48 Pavel Rusin
2:40.13 Peter Court
2:48.66 Alex Rigney

50 Freestyle State大会標準タイム 22.79
21.85 Sho Koba
21.93 Chris Buck
22.68 Josh D’Angelo
22.69 Jason Hass
22.69 David Greiner
22.73 Dustin Hennigar
22.87 Pat Buck
23.31 Robert Steele
23.61 Kenichi Osawa
23.90 Andrew Weichmann
24.01 Peter Keeler
24.39 Tom Magner
24.49 Nik Mrdalj
24.52 Ed Lee
24.63 Matt Gauthier
24.70 Kevin Jensen
24.72 Andrew Anderson
24.72 Mark Buster
24.79 Bentley Goenka
24.88 Brian Gregorka
25.02 Thibault Pham
25.04 Conor Callam
25.21 Ethan Eaton
25.30 David Hiemstra
25.67 Matt Kaucheck
25.81 Patrick Whitehead
26.28 Danny Jenkins
26.38 Patton Doyle
26.56 Pat Dayton
26.63 David Ferrara
26.78 Pavel Rusin
27.00 Corey Gross
27.29 Peter Lundholm
27.51 Jack Tesar
27.77 Thorne O’Connor
28.20 Alex Rigney
28.49 Yeorgos Manikas
29.16 Peter Court
29.16 Chris Launius
29.36 Evan Reynolds
29.96 Lee Schwinghamer
30.98 Mahmoud Mahmoud
31.23 Matt Winick

100 Butterfly State大会標準タイム 55:79
51.51 Sho Koba
52.18 Jason Hass
54.88 Robert Steele
55.23 David Greiner
55.46 Pat Buck
55.58 Josh D’Angelo
55.98 Conor Callam
56.55 Thibault Pham
58.13 Dustin Hennigar
1:01.40 Chris Buck
1:02.18 Mark Buster
1:02.19 Pat Whitehead
1:02.65 Corey Gross
1:03.68 Ed Lee
1:03.84 Kenichi Osawa
1:05.85 Andrew Weichmann
1:06.22 Andrew Anderson
1:06.81 David Ferrara
1:07.98 Pat Dayton
1:08.09 Patton Doyle
1:08.44 Matt Kaucheck
1:08.77 Kevin Jensen
1:11.00 Ethan Eaton
1:11.93 Evan Reynolds
1:12.49 Lee Schwinghamer
1:15.44 Peter Court
1:17.12 Peter Lundholm
1:19.55 Yeorgos Manikas
1:20.31 Alex Rigney
1:21.82 Chris Launius

100 Freestyle State大会標準タイム 49.89
46.38 Sho Koba
47.81 Chris Buck
49.44 Pat Buck
49.33 Dustin Hennigar
49.68 Jason Hass
49.86 Josh D’Angelo
50.31 Robert Steele
51.88 Andrew Weichmann
52.14 Peter Keeler
52.44 Ed Lee
52.70 David Greiner
53.11 Brian Gregorka
53.96 Tom Magner
53.99 Kenichi Osawa
54.24 Matt Gauthier
54.27 Bentley Goenka
54.38 Mark Buster
54.48 Thibault Pham
54.66 David Hiemstra
54.79 Conor Callam
55.50 Ethan Eaton
55.62 Nik Mrdalj
55.68 Kevin Jensen
55.72 Patrick Whitehead
56.26 Andrew Anderson
56.59 David Ferrara
57.78 Peter Lundholm
58.29 Patton Doyle
59.03 Pat Dayton
59.45 Matt Kaucheck
59.71 Jack Tesar
1:00.01 Pavel Rusin
1:00.98 Corey Gross
1:01.20 Danny Jenkins
1:01.33 Thorne O’Connor
1:02.74 Evan Reynolds
1:03.70 Alex Rigney
1:03.92 Peter Court
1:04.64 Yeorgos Manikas
1:05.02 Chris Launius
1:07.10 Lee Schwinghamer
1:09.41 Mahmoud Mahmoud
1:12.84 Matt Winick

500 Freestyle State大会標準タイム 4:59.39
4:34.49 Sho Koba
4:49.95 Jason Hass
4:51.60 Pat Buck
4:54.46 Chris Buck
4:54.47 Robert Steele
4:56.70 Josh D’Angelo
5:01.06 Matt Gauthier
5:04.47 Mark Buster
5:09.03 David Hiemstra
5:11.68 Peter Keeler
5:17.57 Brian Gregorka
5:19.38 Dustin Hennigar
5:20.36 Andrew Weichmann
5:22.50 Ed Lee
5:22.56 Peter Lundholm
5:24.31 David Greiner
5:25.50 Conor Callam
5:33.08 Thibault Pham
5:42.42 Kevin Jensen
5:44.43 Ethan Eaton
5:45.38 Tom Magner
5:48.86 Andrew Anderson
5:50.06 Patton Doyle
5:50.17 Matt Kaucheck
5:53.75 Evan Reynolds
5:55.66 Bentley Goenka
5:56.70 David Ferrara
5:58.18 Nik Mrdalj
6:03.75 Pat Dayton
6:14.94 Peter Court
6:16.70 Danny Jenkins
6:32.73 Jack Tesar
8:03.35 Mahmoud Mahmoud

100 Backstroke State大会標準タイム 57:19
54.79 Pat Buck
56.20 Sho Koba
56.21 Peter Keeler
56.33 Chris Buck
56.91 Jason Hass
58.69 Conor Callam
1:00.24 Josh D’Angelo
1:00.81 Robert Steele
1:01.44 Ed Lee
1:01.47 Matt Gauthier
1:01.82 Dustin Hennigar
1:01.95 Mark Buster
1:02.34 Thibault Pham
1:04.38 Patrick Whitehead
1:04.45 David Greiner
1:04.78 Brian Gregorka
1:04.87 Kenichi Osawa
1:05.09 Nik Mrdalj
1:06.87 Andrew Anderson
1:06.87 Ethan Eaton
1:07.06 Andrew Weichmann
1:09.18 Jack Tesar
1:09.57 Thorne O’Connor
1:09.73 Kevin Jensen
1:10.22 Matt Kaucheck
1:10.80 Pat Dayton
1:11.99 Pavel Rusin
1:12.17 Peter Lundholm
1:12.78 Danny Jenkins
1:13.21 Peter Court
1:14.38 Chris Launius
1:29.44 Lee Schwinghamer
1:33.37 Matt Winick

100 Breaststroke State大会標準タイム 1:03:99
1:03.56 Pat Whitehead
1:04.56 Chris Buck
1:04.75 Sho Koba
1:05.01 Jason Hass
1:05.36 Pat Buck
1:07.77 Peter Keeler
1:06.21 Dustin Hennigar
1:06.83 Kenichi Osawa
1:06.96 Robert Steele
1:08.68 David Hiemstra
1:08.87 Thibault Pham
1:09.43 Matt Kaucheck
1:10.42 Matt Gauthier
1:10.77 Brian Gregorka
1:12.88 Danny Jenkins
1:13.37 Ethan Eaton
1:14.55 Mark Buster
1:14.83 Conor Callam
1:16.74 Nik Mrdalj
1:17.68 Kevin Jensen
1:17.72 Tom Magner
1:18.15 Ed Lee
1:18.45 David Ferrara
1:19.12 Bentley Goenka
1:20.18 Andrew Weichmann
1:21.07 Patton Doyle
1:21.46 Pat Dayton
1:21.51 Alex Rigney
1:21.70 Yeorgos Manikas
1:23.69 Evan Reynolds
1:24.92 Jack Tesar
1:27.76 Peter Court
1:27.08 Peter Lundholm
1:38.59 Thorne O’Connor
1:44.14 Matt Winick

Bleach

勝から写メールが来ました。State大会に向けて、いつものように髪の毛を染めたようです。
木曜日にはこの髪の毛をきれいに剃り上げスキンヘッドにすることになります。
私たちも木曜日にアナーバーに向かい、金曜日の予選と土曜日の決勝を応援しに行く予定です。

Bleachした頭髪

アウトバーン

夕方に豊田に戻ってきました。ジュネーブの後はベルギーやドイツに行ってきました。

アウトバーン走行中のメーター。

アウトバーン隣のMichael Schumacherのインドアカートセンター