Asuka Kuramochi of team A Co-Stars ‘Sports X’ with Katsuya Furuta!!

Tommy Kono April 14, 2012

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New TV program “Sports X (cross)”, in whchi Asuka Kuramochi of Team A starred as a sportscaster, started airing 12:30 today on BS Asahi.

In this program Asuka with other casters introduces Japanese athletes and their passion and lover for sports to nationwide viewers. It also features Nadeshiko “Strong and Beautiful Japanese women” in Sports world.
Passion, love for Sports, importance of teamwork, trust, loyalty, bond with family, we can learn those authentic value from sports. Former Pro-baseball player Katsuya Furuta (who is from Kobe!!) and sports enthusiasts Asuka Kuramochi, whose father is also former Pro-basell picher (Akira Kuramochi!!) present you to the program.

Official site puts an interview to Asuka Kuramochi on her thought about the program.

今回のお話しをいただき、「遺伝子が震える」くらい嬉しかったです（笑）！
When I first heard the offer, I was thrilled to DNA. lol
小さい頃から、芸能界に入ってSPEEDみたいなユニットでデビューすることが夢だったんですが、その夢がAKBで叶ったことで、改めて夢を思い描いた時に、スポーツの記者やキャスターのような、スポーツに関わる仕事に携わりたいと強く感じました。
Since I was a child, my dream has been debuting in the entertainment world as a member of idol unit like “Speed”. Now that my dream came true, I thought it’s time to engage in my another dream of being engaged in Sports-related job such as sports journalist or sportscaster (this is her initial reason to try out the AKB audition)
そこへ「SPORTS　X（スポーツクロス）」の話がきて、次々と夢が実現し、とても嬉しいです。
Then I got this offer. I’m so happy my dreams are coming true one after another.
特に、「父親が古田さんと一緒にキャスターを務めることができることに大変驚き、喜んでくれた」と自宅では大騒ぎだったとか。

She said her father was so excited that his daughter will co-host the sports show with the former Yakurt-Swallowe star Katsuya Furuta!! That drove whole her family in huge excitement.

You know the case of Sakura Yokomine or Ai Miyazato. Making his daughter a professional golf player is a kind of dream of all former pro sports player. And Asuka’s father is not different. But her mother opposed to him since she didn’t want her daughter tanned.

Asuka has 2 brothers, and both belong to baseball club. It somehow made Asuka join their baseball batting practice after dinner. lol (For some reason, maybe it makes her skin tanned, her mother didn’t oppose this)

She had belonged to Dodge-ball club since she was 3rd or 4th grade, and she was made to practice in order to throw the ball straight. But she did the practice in the corridor of her house, which made her father shout at her “Don’t make a fuss!!”. But that made her progress fast!!

Since she was doing Dodge-ball in elementary school, she wanted to join volley-ball club in junior-high school. But her friend submitted Asuka’s application to Soft-Tennis club without her permission, which forced her to join the club. Other than that she was practicing Swimming, Ballet and dancing.

[What would you like to tell people through this TV program?]

これまでスポーツといえば男性のイメージが強かったが、最近ではスポーツ界でも女性が活躍するようになりましたよね。

I think people usually associate sports with men, but recently women play a important role in sports too. (World Cup Soccer!!!! Nadeshiko Japan!!!)

自分と同年代の女性たちがスポーツ界で活躍している様子を、同世代の目線で伝えていきたい。

I want to report those girls in my generation who are forging their way in their respective fields of sports.

２０代の女性アスリートの考えや想いなど、同世代の自分だからこそ伝えられることがあると思うので。同世代の女性たちからも、観てもらえるような番組にしていきたい。

I think there’s something that I can make the best of myself such as reporting the real of women athletes in their 20’s. So I want to contribute to the program through attracting younger female audience.

そして、この番組を通して父と娘の親子の共通の話題ができ、親子の関係性が作れる番組になればいいと思う。

And I hope through this program, a young girl and her father will find common topic that they can share with and create conversation between them, an ultimately create firm relationship within the family.

自分がそうだったように。Like I used to be with my father,

是非とも、父と娘が一緒に楽しめる番組を目指していきたいです。

At any cost, I try to create the program which father and daughter can enjoy together.