FOR as long as Ken Tamaki can remember, baseball has been an enriching and rewarding passion.
This sport demanded from the Okinawa, Japan, native countless hours of dedication, concentration and sacrifice.
But as life pushed on, his love for baseball inspired him to go to another level and help introduce the sport globally.
This aspiration materialised after Mr Tamaki’s journey as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer led him to Fiji.
And since being appointed the coach of Fiji’s baseball team last year, he has dedicated his time to teaching Fiji’s youngsters about baseball.
The 54-year-old graduated from Chinen High School and later, Okinawa International University and started playing baseball at the age of nine.
Throughout his career, he experienced numerous memorable moments such as participating in the Japan High School Baseball Championship as an umpire.
He said this was an exciting experience at Koshien Stadium with over 50,000 started umpiring baseball when I was 19 years old and am still an active umpire,” the father-of-three says.
“I became a Fiji Baseball coach after being inspired by a baseball colleague of mine who coached baseball in Africa, and I wanted to be involved in promoting baseball overseas.
“I am not young, but baseball has given me the courage to challenge myself regardless of my age, to realise my ambition of coaching baseball overseas.”
Mr Tamaki teaches baseball to children. He not only shows them the ropes, but also allows them to experience fun.
“I also coach Fiji’s national team and strengthen them to play in international competitions. In addition, I am also involved in various events to promote the joys of baseball to the people of Fiji.
There are challenges in his line of work, including but not limited to, language barriers. But he is keen to clear this hurdle.
“I think the language barrier is still my biggest challenge. I need to study English more to fully understand ideas, convey my thoughts, and communicate well with them.”
Now, he is focused on propelling the national team to greater heights.
“Our first major goal is to win the Pacific Mini Games Palau in 2025.
“My dream is that in the future, Fiji’s baseball players, coaches, and umpires will be active in international tournaments and compete with Japan.
“Baseball is not a major sport on a global scale, but it is a wonderful sport that can develop human resources. Therefore, it is very valuable to promote it. If you have the desire, you can take on the challenge at any time and at any age.
Fiji Baseball team head coach Ken Tamaki during a training session at Albert Park, Suva. Picture: KATA KOLI
