To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Play Academy with Naomi Osaka, a Nike initiative to support coaches around the world, the tennis star and company are launching a new research-backed coaching guide designed specifically for coaches in Japan, tailored for young, female players who often face social and cultural barriers preventing them to participate in sports.
The guide offers resources for coaches to help develop talented players, with the hope that it helps encourage local community organizations to empower a new generation of Japanese women athletes to dominate the respective sports.
Alongside the guide, Nike hosted a “Coach the Dream” summit in Tokyo from Oct. 16 to 20, in which 50 local sports leaders were trained on best practices for coaching girls.
The summit included trainers from the Center for Healing & Justice Through Sport, who educated attendees on trauma-informed coaching practices. The latter helps create a safe environment for girls, making them feel comfortable to explore their passions and talents.
“Play Academy aims to change girls’ lives through play and sport, and we can’t do that without great coaches,” Osaka said in a press release. “It’s been a joy to work alongside Nike to inspire the next generation to reach their potential through the power of movement.”
The guide has already earned support from major Japanese organizations, including professional baseball team the Yomiuri Giants, and the Japan Basketball Association.
“As a leading female baseball team in Japan, we believe in the importance of coaching development and training,” Toru Kunimatsu, Representative Director and President of the Yomiuri Giants, said in a statement. “We feel the urge to change the environment around girls in sport, starting with baseball. The toolkit will help spread the awareness of gender-biased barriers girls face and provide a safe and secure environment for all girls in sport. Overall, we believe that this will contribute to the future of youth sport in Japan.”
Since the Play Academy’s launch in Tokyo five years ago, it has expanded to Los Angeles, Haiti, and Osaka, Japan.
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