Elementary Students Pitch Directly to Former Pro Baseball Manager Kudo Kikuo! Pyrus Academy Hosts 3rd 'Agriculture Experience × Baseball Clinic' with Team Roles and Self-Directed Action

Pyrus Academy (Representative: Kouta Kobayashi), which operates a youth baseball school, held its 3rd joint project 'Agriculture Experience × Baseball Clinic' on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with support and cooperation from former professional baseball player and manager Kudo Kikuo and SHAPE Sports Co., Ltd. (CEO: Kenta Komamiya).

This project, themed 'Learning the Importance of Food and Cultivating Life Skills Through Baseball,' is an experiential program that has been held annually since 2025, marking its third iteration. While the first two editions focused on 'engaging all five senses to develop life skills,' this year's theme took a further step: 'doing it ourselves.' Rather than adults organizing everything, the children themselves used both mind and body to execute every aspect—from planning and transportation to budget management.

Significance of the Initiative

In today’s educational and sports environments, there is a strong demand for 'cultivating self-directed individuals' and 'enhancing non-cognitive abilities.' This program provides children with a 'real-world social experience' where they are not merely passive recipients of instruction, but active participants who present their own ideas, manage budgets, and plan itineraries to a respected figure like Kudo Kikuo. By combining sports and agriculture—two seemingly different fields—the program aims to create an advanced educational model that fosters children’s ability to independently identify challenges and proactively solve them.

Key Features and Challenges of This Year’s Program

① Team-based responsibility and formal presentation to Kudo Kikuo

As part of pre-program preparation, four representative elementary students (grades 4–6) conducted a direct presentation to Kudo Kikuo in Tokyo in March. The children were divided into teams responsible for 'budget,' 'schedule,' 'transportation,' and 'crop selection,' each diligently preparing their assigned tasks.

They thought deeply about 'what they wanted to plant' and 'why,' discussing as a team how best to communicate their ideas. Based on these discussions, they compiled their proposals and calculated a total budget—including seedling costs and transportation fees—presenting it to Mr. Kudo, who approved it.

Additionally, the children themselves researched timetables and planned everything from train rides on the day of the event to local transportation and return schedules.

② Farming Experience: Building 'un' (raised beds) and planting seedlings with their own hands

On-site, the children began by building 'un' (raised beds) themselves to plant tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and leeks—crops previously agreed upon with Mr. Kudo. Though inexperienced, they worked hard to till the soil and plant the seedlings. They also harvested komatsuna, onions, garlic, and turnips, experiencing firsthand the bounty of the earth and the effort required to grow food.

③ Baseball Clinic: Proactively asking Kudo about pitching form, control, and weight transfer

In the latter half of the event, the baseball clinic moved beyond the traditional 'instruction-only' format. The children had previously discussed in teams what they wanted to learn, coming prepared with specific questions. On the day, they proactively approached Mr. Kudo, asking, 'How can I improve my control?' and 'What are the keys to proper pitching mechanics and weight transfer?' and received direct coaching. Their initiative significantly enhanced their absorption speed and rate of improvement.

Kouta Kobayashi, Representative, Pyrus Academy

"This program, now in its third year since we began last year, has shown remarkable growth in the children. This time, under the theme 'acting with our own power,' the elementary students not only calculated budgets but also thought deeply about what and why they wanted to plant, and how to communicate it effectively. They repeatedly prepared their presentations with great effort. On the day, they presented to Mr. Kudo with responsibility in their respective roles—this is exactly the form of 'cultivating life skills' we envision. Most importantly, the children themselves understood the value of developing various abilities through baseball, not just technical skills, and engaged wholeheartedly. This gives me great joy and a strong sense of significance."

Kenta Komamiya, CEO, SHAPE Sports

"Our company's mission is 'co-creating the next 100 years of Japanese sports.' We are a company where sports lovers gather to shape the future of Japanese sports. Personally, I played baseball through university and have a deep passion for the sport. I aim to expand baseball's reach in Japan and fill the country with baseball fans. Through this, I deeply resonated with Pyrus Academy's philosophy of 'cultivating children's life skills through baseball,' and was also drawn to Mr. Kobayashi's character, leading us to co-host this program. This initiative was also inspired by our advisor, Kudo Kikuo's belief in 'cultivating life skills,' and this marks its third edition.

Especially in this third edition, we increased opportunities for children to take the lead, challenging them to design content, manage schedules, and handle budgets from the planning stage. Through the process of thinking independently, discussing with peers, and turning ideas into action, I believe they gained a deeper experience in cultivating 'life skills.'

Going forward, we aim to continue creating opportunities where children can develop autonomy, cooperation, and a spirit of challenge through the power of baseball.

Future Outlook: A Food Education Experience Where 'What You Eat Becomes You'

In the next program, the children will harvest the sweet potatoes and leeks they planted themselves. Additionally, they will design menus, cook meals using the harvested vegetables, and eat together. We will further deepen the philosophy we've upheld in the past two events—'your body is your capital, and eating builds your body'—and convey the message that 'what you eat becomes your blood, your flesh, and ultimately, yourself.'