【Kagawa Olive Guyners】Selected and Published in "100 Companies Representing Kagawa" by Regional Revitalization Media "Made In Local"

Kagawa Olive Guyners Baseball Club Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Representative Director and President: Shunsuke Sawamura) is pleased to announce that it has been selected for the Kagawa area of the "100 Companies Representing the Region" selected and published by "Made In Local", a regional revitalization media operated by IOBI Co., Ltd.

This project is a brand certification for regional companies that is deployed nationwide from Hokkaido to Okinawa, with over 1,300 companies selected. The selection is based on contribution to the region, uniqueness, and growth potential, and the team's stance of working on regional education and co-creation from Kagawa as a professional baseball club was highly evaluated.

▼ Published page: https://madeinlocal.jp/category/companies/kagawa004

■ Overview of Publication

The catchphrase on the published page is "An educational and co-creative independent professional baseball club that nurtures the future of the region from Kagawa, starting with the excitement of baseball." The interview detailed the team's stance and initiatives regarding inquiry-based learning and regional co-creation conducted alongside its main business of player development, the redefinition of relationships with sponsor companies, and continuous investment in nurturing the next generation.

■ Comment from Representative Director and President Shunsuke Sawamura

I originally worked as a teacher coaching the baseball club. Seeing students hit walls and overcome them time and again, I deepened my conviction that "baseball has the power to develop people." Later, I stepped into a completely different field, but the fundamental question has not changed. How do people grow through baseball? How does the region change?

Managing an independent league team is a continuous series of difficult challenges, balancing the improvement of competitive strength and building a team loved by the region with limited management resources. Since its founding in 2006, the team has continued its challenge in the Shikoku Island League Plus under these constraints, and as of May 2026, it has produced 29 players for NPB and overseas professional leagues.

In recent years, the team has further expanded its business domain to include inquiry-based learning and regional exchange in collaboration with schools, companies, and local governments, continuously evolving into a "team where people grow and the region moves." Being directly approached for an interview by the Made In Local editorial team is a result of these initiatives being recognized as activities representing the region, and I am deeply honored.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the fans, sponsor companies, and the schools and local communities who work with us for their continued support and encouragement.

■ Featured Initiative (1): Redefining Sponsorship – Towards "Partners Who Co-Create Regional Value"

By having a system that can seamlessly handle games, player development, inquiry-based learning at schools, co-creation projects with companies, and the production of local events, the team has realized a relationship with sponsor companies not as "advertising outlets" but as "partners who co-create regional value." The combination of competitive development capabilities and continuous community engagement outside the stadium has established an unusual business model for a sports team.

Scenes of players interacting directly with local children. The team's community activities, which go beyond just watching games, form the foundation for creating relationships with sponsor companies as "partners who co-create regional value."

■ Featured Initiative (2): Philosophy of Regional Revitalization – "Increasing People Who Want to Take on Challenges" Rather Than "Bringing People In"

The team's vision of regional revitalization is not just about bringing people to the region, but about increasing the number of people in the region who want to "take on challenges" and "get involved." We believe baseball can be the gateway to this.

Beyond home game operations and local events, the inquiry-based learning program, which was fully launched in fiscal year 2025, creates opportunities for students to learn while engaging with the real world through classes themed around corporate and regional issues. As of May 2026, the team has collaboration records with approximately 20 schools in total, centered in Kagawa Prefecture and extending across the Chugoku, Shikoku, and nationwide regions, including Kagawa University, Otemae Takamatsu, Jinsei Gakuen, Horai High School, Okayama High School, Matsuyama Seiryo, Matsuyama Technical, and Kamakura Gakuen. The team also continuously works on creating touchpoints with the next generation, such as baseball clinics for children and donating balls to elementary schools in the prefecture.

High school students who participated in the inquiry-based learning program present their thoughts and achievements on the uniforms they designed at the home ground. A moment when the team's philosophy of regional revitalization, "increasing people who want to take on challenges," takes shape on the stage of the ballpark.

■ Featured Initiative (3): The Breadth of Team Staff Work – Where Sports, Education, and Region Intersect in One Workplace

Team staff are involved not only in game operations, sponsor relations, and PR/SNS communication but also in school partnerships and planning local events. It is an environment where one's work is directly linked to player growth, fan excitement, children's learning, and regional revitalization. This operational structure also serves as the foundation for future growth strategies, including the horizontal expansion of the inquiry-based learning program, the development of local human resources, and co-creative projects involving corporate challenges.

A scene of group discussions themed around corporate and regional issues. Classes designed by team staff in collaboration with schools create a space for students to engage with the real world.

■ SDGs Initiatives of the Team

[Goal 4: Quality Education]
Through inquiry-based learning in collaboration with schools, companies, and local governments, we are expanding practical learning opportunities in the region.

[Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth]
We create a stage where players, staff, and young people in the region can take on challenges and grow, fostering a sense of fulfillment in work.

[Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities]
By increasing opportunities for people to connect through ballparks, local events, and school partnerships, we contribute to sustainable community development.

■ About "Made In Local"

"Made In Local" is a regional revitalization media operated by IOBI Co., Ltd. (https://iobi.co.jp/). With the concept of "The region is interesting now!" it is deployed nationwide from Hokkaido to Okinawa. In the "100 Companies Representing the Region," it selects and introduces companies with contribution to the local community and uniqueness, with over 1,300 companies selected.

▼ Made In Local: https://madeinlocal.jp/

■ About Kagawa Olive Guyners Baseball Club Co., Ltd.

An independent league team belonging to the Shikoku Island League Plus. Since its founding, it boasts a league-leading record of producing 29 players for NPB and overseas professional leagues. Notable alumni include Katsuki Matayoshi (currently Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks). In recent years, the team has redefined the value of professional sports – "learning, challenge, and connection with the region" – and promotes next-generation development through inquiry-based learning programs, regional educational partnerships, and collaboration with companies and local governments. The team aims to be a "social value-creating team" that contributes to solving social issues and revitalizing the region through sports.

■ Company Overview

Company Name: Kagawa Olive Guyners Baseball Club Co., Ltd.

Established: March 9, 2006

Location: 1307 Teshimacho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture

Business: Team management, educational services (inquiry-based learning, regional collaborative education, career education)

Team HP: https://oliveguyners.com/

Contact for this matter: info-og@oliveguyners.com