People: University Tennis Captain Aspires to Regain Championship:
Mr.Atsushi Kanayama

Mr.Atsushi Kanayama. Born in Aichi prefecture, in 1982. Graduated Mie Prefectural Yokkaichi industrial high school. Atsushi Kanayama is in his final year at the School of Human Sciences and belongs to Professor Kiyotada Kato's seminar. He is the captain of the University tennis club. When Atsushi was in his third year at high school, he was selected as a member of the U-18 Japanese national team. In August 2003, he was a semi-finalist (men's singles) in the intercollegiate tennis championships, and won the championship in the doubles tournament . Besides, he had excellent results in several other tournaments. His hobby is ceramic art. After he graduates from Waseda, he plans to join a club managed by a company at first, and then wishes to become a coach as a high school teacher.

His well-tanned face and naughty-boy smile are very impressive. Relaxed and friendly, he can talk with his seniors about nothing in particular. It appears that Atsushi himself prefers "mischievous" younger members, who can joke and play tricks, to serious-minded ones, because he thinks that he can enjoy taking care of the former. Asked for a list of his own tricks, he preferred to keep them secret.

As soon as Atsushi became aware of things around him, he laced his tennis shoes and gripped his racket. At that time his teachers were mainly his parents. He said, "Honestly speaking, I didn't feel that tennis was enjoyable." However, after he had started to go to a tennis school, he enjoyed it and made rapid progress. When he was in his fourth year at elementary school, he competed in a national tournament.

After that he gave himself up to tennis with great enthusiasm. In his second year at high school, he beat the previous champion and was runner-up the inter-high school athletic competition. The experience gave him strong confidence.

Kanayama flatly says, "Tennis is one of the hardest sports, because we cannot win until we can get three kinds of power: mental, technical and physical." Concerning his offensive tennis style, "At a close game I never lose."

He entered Waseda, "seeking for a new environment". He did not go to the universities which many of his senior students had chosen, because he hoped that his university life would not become an extension of his high school. He was chosen a regular member when he was a freshman. Waseda won the Japan championship twice without a break, but last year the University slipped to fourth place in the Kanto league, despite expectations of a third successive victory to celebrate the centenary of Waseda tennis team. As the captain, he now has a mission to regain the championship.

Waseda tennis club has excellent facilities, including indoor tennis. All coaches and players are top-rank. Despite all that, why can't we win? What is lacking in us? The team holds several meetings along with its hard practice sessions. He says, "Anyway, I want to leave behind a good record. After we win, I wish to sing the alma mater and Konpeki no Sora! A strong will gleams in his eyes.