Sport & Design Blog: live from Tokyo, Japan!
Friday Inspiration: Mali, Stand Up!
It’s Friday! Crank it up...Here’s a fresh new video released by our friend Mokobe, the legendary MC/performer from le Quai 54 tournament in Paris.
From the video’s press release:
"Mali debout" (Mali stand up) is a song written by Mokobe French Malian artist in order to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Mali's Independance (September 22nd, 2010) but it's also a tribute to the Malian diaspora all around the world and how everyone loves Africa...
Rise, Mali. We’re with you, Mokobe!
0 Comments
Hope 81 Interview with Tru Ninja!
Darin Satoshi Maki the Tru Ninja himself... (bottom right side) sneakin’ up on CP3 during the Quai 54 tourney.
Here’s a special interview with our Rising Suns team leader Darin Satoshi Maki, who talks about his experiences at Quai 54, life in the offseason, and his big return to the Tokyo Apache this year. Thanks for working on this with us, D-MAK!
How was Paris? How did it feel to represent Japan? Are you ready to lead the Rising Suns' back to Quai 54 with a stronger team next year?
Paris was an awesome experience! I knew going into the tournament that these cats could really play, if you know basketball then you know what the QUAI 54 is all about. It was the first time I actually repped Japan and it felt pretty cool, people didn't know we could ball out here. I repped USA before back in the day but something about repping your motherland is different, even if it was only a streetball tourney. Going out to Paris, I knew it was going to be a tough tournament for us to advance. We were going up against a lot of pro and national team players so my goal was to play hard and make a statement. I had this notion that peeps thought that our team was the best we had in Japan... Let me just say, no way! we got some cats that can really play! For next year, if I can help select players for the Japan team, I think we can really make a splash. Really looking forward to playing next year in the Jordan sponsored, biggest streetball tournament in the world, QUAI 54.
What have you been up to lately in LA, and how do you work on your game in the offseason? Venice Beach? Westwood/UCLA runs? Weightroom? Got any secrets you mind sharing with our young Rising Suns out there?
Since I've been back in L.A, I have been doing the usual stuff, training and keeping in touch with all my peoples. This time of the year is really special for me because I get to see my family and friends. It is also a crucial time of the year to work on your game. I have been in the gym working on my strength and basketball skills with some of my best friends, who also happen to play pro as well. Just a couple of the guys and a trainer, get in and get out. People always ask, "where you playin ball at?" Well to tell you the truth I don't get as much 5 on 5 action during the summer. One thing is I do not want to get injured, and also I like to focus on skill work and the little stuff. NO BAD HABITS! So I am sorry to break your hearts about this big myth that we all ball together during the summer at a secret location, BUT...when all the pro and college cats get together you know we get it in lol.
Do I have any advice for the young, future superstars out there? I say work on your skills as much as possible and add a little something to your arsenal every off-season. Don't play ball just to play ball either. I know we all love the game but you must practice with a purpose. You can play pick-up ball 5 hours a day and pick up more bad habits than the guy who goes an hour and a half hard on his skillwork. Everybody is athletic, can run and jump right? Maybe the next guy just a little bit more than you, so what is going to set yourself apart from him? The guy who plays in front of you? Outworking him. Put in the work and the results will show, don't expect quick results because there are none. Everytime you are lazy, imagine your opponent shooting 1000 jump shots, running hills,etc. You gotta be hungry.
TYO! You recently got signed by the Tokyo Apache, which is YOUR old neighborhood (and OUR Hope 81 hood, too). How did you get the deal done? And are you excited to play under new Apache coach Bob Hill?
It feels great to be back with the Tokyo Apache. I had a busy off-season as a free agent and wanted to find a team before I came back to L.A for the summer. There were a few teams interested and I had turned down a GREAT offer from another team. One thing is, I had unfinished business to take care of. I have been to the BJ-League finals twice and lost while a member of the Apache. It still stings to this day and I feel we have a great chance to get back to the finals and take the whole thing. What intrigued me was the new ownership of the team and the new coach. Evolution Capital Management, an American company, had purchased the team and from my early talks with them, I knew they were going to steer this team in the right direction. Having coach Bob Hill sign on was just as big, he is a seasoned NBA coach who brings immediate clout to our team and league. I worked out with him and his staff last month in Dallas and he is legit! From the first day to the last day, I already saw huge improvements in all our games, imagine what he can do in 1 season?
I am very excited about the forthcoming season, if you want to see what I'm up to, follow me on twitter and check out my homepage.
www.twitter.com/BELLOBLOCK
www.darinsatoshimaki.com
1ove, D-MAK
New Quai 54 2010 Trailer: Jordan Outdoor Video
July 22 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Check out the new Quai 54 2010 video on Jordan Outdoor, with our guy Darin Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja-- representing the Rising Suns 2010 squad!
A lot of the footage in the clip is shot by videographer/basketball film documentarist Kevin Couliau, who we got to know during our practice game with George Eddy in Paris. Thanks for all your hard work, and helping us get Japan on the basketball map!
The Rising Suns Journey
May 24 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
The journey is the reward...
I found these words in Phil Jackson’s book, Sacred Hoops. I started reading it this past year when I began my new role as player/coach/manager/organizer of the Rising Suns. In my last blog, I reflected on how the player selection process has developed since last November ’09. At this point, we’re still far from the ‘end’ of this journey. Maybe there is NO real end. But being here on the eve of our RS2010 final player selection, I’m wondering what the players are thinking...
Over the course of about seven months of tryouts, workouts, training sessions, practice games, and plenty of ankle sprains, knee injuries, struggles with work schedules, personal hardships, etc. it’s often been hard for me to guess what’s going through their minds. I’ve been here in Japan a long time (8 years), as a basketball player, teacher and grad student, but I’m still getting the hang of figuring out how to motivate the players, or when they need to be left alone to learn things for themselves. So now that we’ve gone through the first important stage, all I can hope is that they are wondering “Did I give it my best shot?” And at the very least, I hope they are saying to themselves: “Yeah, that was a long, tough road and now I can see that I need to work a lot harder!”
For those players who came every week and hustled through all the S&C drills at the track, fought through our circuit training at the gym, or battled hard on defense during our practice games, I’m sure this must feel pretty good to be on the verge of representing Japan at the Quai 54 World Championships in Paris. For the others who showed up once in a while (or the ones who were never on-time, you know who you are!), I’m sure there must be a few doubts running through their heads right about now. And for those who just came once or twice and gave up, for whatever reason, maybe you are not reading this so I wont bother to guess what you might be thinking. Good luck to you guys.
I think its worth explaining, the point of the whole Rising Suns experience is to grow better basketball skills (fundamentals, strength & conditioning, team-building) and open up new communication across borders (more visibility, exposure, media, etc. for Japanese hoops). The ultimate goal is to reach a point where Japan might start to enter the conversation about “who’s the next breakthrough player from Asia?” Somewhere down the road, will this program really help Japan make a breakthrough in the international game? If so, how far down the road?
Well, back to Phil’s book: the journey is the reward. However long it takes... The fact that we are now in the process of building ways for Japanese youth to play at the highest level, this is what its all about. Taking action.
And we couldn’t be on this journey without our local sponsors and partners, so Hope 81 would like to take this chance to say a special thanks to all of the members of our local community.
P-one Clinic
Kubota Beauty College
Gallery-2
Tokyo Design Flow
*Private Donor: Patou-san
We appreciate your help in bringing our Rising Suns to Paris again this year, and we couldn’t do all of this without your wonderful support!
Jason Hutson
Hope 81 Founder
More than a Game
February 18 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
Watch this trailer about Lebron James and his rise to the top of the basketball world. Well, almost...he’s still waiting to get that first championship ring in the NBA, but no doubt he’ll get there one day. The documentary looks at the game of basketball as a way to move up through adversity, and build positive relationships in life, family, business, and everything else. Many of us have been inspired to work toward a better life from a basic passion for the game. In that sense, the movie really hits home on many levels. Basketball is part of the inspiration behind Hope 81, as well.
Now we know that playing professional basketball is a common dream for kids all over the world. And we know many of our young players here in Japan are fighting to reach the top. What the world may not realize is that basketball is one of, if not the most popular sports in Japan. The media here doesn’t make a big deal about it though, unfortunately. Basketball is one of the most heavily played and least heavily watched Japanese sports. Maybe one easy solution is to do more grassroots videos and utilize social media to promote Japan’s hoop scene. The Clutch Times online news source is doing its part to promote the sport, and guys like Ed Odeven at the Japan Times are doing theirs, day in and day out. But maybe we need a 24-hour hoops channel, streaming all access footage, interviews, and just pumping up the game, period. Pushing players to reach for their dreams, because if anything, they will know someone is watching and their performance matters. Lebron and his high school team were being watched by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, NBA scouts, at 17 years old...and look how they responded.
I guess in order to have that kind of ‘media push’ on real TV, it will take a breakthrough Japanese player dominant enough to stick in the NBA. Watching this movie should just make Japanese players hungrier for that moment of their own, shouldn’t it? This summer, we’ll have a chance to show the world how hungry our 2010 Rising Suns team members are, at the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championships in Paris.
And don’t forget, we’ve got our own story going here in Tokyo.
Look out for our complete RS2009 documentary DVD, available this spring!
permalink