Turning Japanese

By Marc McGowan
BERWICK City Cougars slugger Hayden Wood’s Japanese may be about to significantly improve.
The Year 7 Berwick Secondary College student’s baseball exploits have booked him a trip to the land of the rising Sun in July with an Under 12 touring team.
Hayden, 12, starred for regional side the Eastern Kangaroos in last month’s Little League State Championships.
His performances there earned him an invite to try-out for the Aussie ’09 team for the 27th IBA-BOYS World Championship Series from 16 to 30 July.
The talented Beaconsfield resident subsequently blitzed the trials to make the squad and follow in the footsteps of fellow Cougars Adam Silva, Linden Goodman and John King.
“I’m a bit nervous, but more excited – I just really want to go,” Hayden said.
“It will be a good experience staying with a host family.”
Yoshi Nakamura, whose son, Micheal Nakamura, is a former Major League Baseball player, organises the trip to the annual event each year.
Hayden and his team-mates will compete against 16 other nations after playing warm-up games against Japanese junior clubs.
He will make a two-hour trip each morning from Washimiya to Tokyo to play during his two-week stay.
Hayden readily admits he speaks little Japanese, but Nakamura is teaching the players the basics of the language and also about the local customs.
His father, Craig, who is Berwick City’s club treasurer, is immensely proud of his son’s achievement.
“This was something we didn’t expect he’d have the opportunity to do,” Craig said.
“I was talking to Richard Silva (Adam’s father) and he said you go there and have a great time and get looked after very well.
“To have this experience at his age is fantastic – you couldn’t learn any more if you tried.”
Craig was an A-grade baseballer in his day and has encouraged not only Hayden, but his older brothers, Jamie, 21, and Daniel, 14, to play the sport, too.
But his wife, B.J., has managed to keep their daughter, Alyshia, 7, away from baseball so far – she is instead involved in jazz and ballet.
“Alyshia wants to play tee-ball, but mum wants to keep her on the girl’s side,” Craig said with a laugh.
Hayden, who also plays football for Berwick, hopes his Japanese sojourn leads to many more memorable sporting experiences in the future.
Number one on the Detroit Tigers fan’s wish list is joining Cougars star Adam Silva in the Victorian Institute of Sport’s elite baseball program.
Hayden is focusing on that initial goal for the time being, but would also love to one day join his Major League Baseball heroes on the diamond and represent his country. “That would be amazing,” he said.