Office for Sports Promotion

【profile】
Takeshi Torii Born in 1956.
He is a member of the Tokyo Rifle Shooting Association, the Saitama Prefecture Rifle Shooting Association, and the Saitama Prefecture Rifle Shooting Federation for the Disabled.
Obtained qualifications such as Japan Rifle Shooting Association certified coach, Japan Sports Association certified coach, and Disabled Sports Association instructor.

Just like people without disabilities, it is natural that each person with a disability is different.

``Tips rather than theories''

~Please tell us how you became a para shooting coach. ~

I became fascinated with air guns when I went to a toy store with my daughter.She discovered the fun of sport shooting and started shooting as a hobby, but then she turned to competitive shooting.

The reason I became a coach was when the Tokyo 2020 Games were scheduled to be held, I was asked by the Japan Disabled Sports Shooting Federation to help with a project related to the discovery and development of para shooting, and I said that I like teaching others. For this reason, I accepted the offer with two replies.

Until then, there were almost no competitive groups for people with disabilities in Tokyo or the Kanto region, and their activities centered around the Saitama Prefecture Rifle Shooting Association and the air rifle range at the Adachi Ward General Sports Center.I used to help out with normalization shooting competitions, but the excavation and project led me to get serious about para-shooting.

Also, I learned shooting from the Japan Disabled Sports Shooting Federation, and there were former Paralympians at the practice range, so from the beginning there were no barriers between people with disabilities or not.

～Did you notice anything while teaching? ~

Since there are not many textbooks and teaching materials regarding shooting, I think it is important to go back and collect related materials and understand the structure of the body when shooting, so I studied biomechanics etc. I got the qualification.

It may come as a surprise, but when thinking about how to maintain the posture and the sequence of movements when shooting, I referred to ballet, tai chi, and noh. Ballet lessons are taught in a very theoretical manner, keeping in mind that the ballet is centered around the body. Tai Chi requires slow movements in conjunction with breathing. ``Noh'' is danced by elderly masters without shaking their bodies, so I thought there must be some secret behind it.

Even if you think you understand it in your head, you won't be able to grasp the ``tricks'' unless you try it yourself.
　When it comes to shooting practice and training methods, even if you can imitate the form, you don't have a sense of ``this is it''.So I'm still learning a lot, looking for hints somewhere.During his instruction, he introduced athletes from other sports and talked about Zen and meditation.I think players often have doubts.

~Is there anything you are keeping in mind? ~

Just like people without disabilities, it is natural that each person with a disability is different.So what about you?I listen to their stories in detail and then provide guidance and advice.

I keep asking people about what happened when they became disabled, what their doctors told them, and how they felt.Shooting is a sport where you face your body and mind.During these discussions, some players become aware of the functions and movements of their own bodies for the first time.

Also, as a leader, I am thinking about which words to use to convey my message to which people.We ask all of our players to do the same things, but we say things to them differently.I'm always trying to come up with ways to say things that can be easily understood by the players.

“I want to lead the team as a Tokyo Parasports staff member.”

~Do you have an ideal image of a coach, Torii-san? ~

Our ideal is to provide coaching that helps athletes improve, understand the sport, and enjoy practicing and learning.No matter how much you aim to participate in the Paralympics and win a medal, I think it's meaningless if it's not fun.
　I would be happy if you could tell me that shooting is fun, interesting, and that I love shooting.I think the results will come later.

We also provide technical guidance to young athletes, but this is an important time for character development, so we prioritize that over shooting.For example, as young players grow, it is important for them to think for themselves, try things out for themselves, make their own judgments and decisions, express their own opinions, and make decisions that they are satisfied with. I think.Although I am a coach, I place emphasis on the growth of my players.

～Please let us know your impressions of being certified as a Tokyo Para Sports Staff and if you have any questions about this system. ~

I also felt happy to have been recognized.However, up until now, I had only been able to teach as I liked, but now I have started to think about my position and role, and I have become more aware of my responsibilities.It was a good opportunity for me to think about what I can do and what I need to do as a parasports staff member.

In order to compete against the world at stages such as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, it goes without saying that we need excellent athletes, but I also believe that we will not be able to win against the world unless we compete as a team with excellent staff. .When I think about team strength, I think it would be great if the Tokyo Parasports staff had the ability to lead the team, and I hope that's the case.

“First of all, come and experience it.”

~Do you have anything to say to people who want to try it? ~

Thanks to our efforts to find players, many people are considering switching to the sport, and we have become interested in the sport.Up until then, even if you wanted to consider switching to a competitive sport, you didn't have the opportunity to listen to explanations or try it out, but these days the opportunities to do so have increased significantly.
　I once heard from a wheelchair basketball player, ``I thought shooting could be a long-term second career.''Many people are interested in it because it is a special sport where you aim and shoot accurately at stationary targets.

It's true that there are many people who actually try it and find it interesting.When Takahiro Koga, a former member of Japan's wheelchair tennis team, tried the experience, he said, ``When I looked into the crosshairs, I was really fascinated by the image I saw from there.I want to aim for the Paralympics, but even if that doesn't happen, I will continue shooting as a lifelong sport.'' "I want to try it," he said.

I don't think you can understand shooting just by looking at it.It is a sport where you can understand how interesting and difficult it is by trying it.For those who want to try shooting, I think it's best to try out a beam rifle, decide whether it's suitable for you, and hear from people who are actually shooting.Please come visit the practice range and ask us anything.

~Finally, what are your expectations for the athletes aiming for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and please give them some encouragement? ~

I think it's important to know whether you did everything you could, whether you had no regrets, whether you worked up a good sweat, and whether you felt like you were working hard.In your life, in my life, you will only encounter 2020 once.Let's do our best so that we can write in our history that we were doing something like this back then, and that we were working hard.

Japan Disabled Sports Shooting Federation　https://jpssf.com/