Soldiers in Yokohama engage with local youth during inaugural sports exchange

YOKOHAMA NORTH DOCK, Japan – An event between Soldiers stationed here and a local youth baseball team brought the groups together for a day of sports, physical training and even a tour aboard an Army watercraft.

The 5th Transportation Company (Composite Watercraft Company) welcomed the Yokohama Higashi Little League team to Yokohama North Dock on May 6 for the inaugural exchange between the unit and the youth athletes, who practice several times a month on the field located on the installation.

Capt. Alena Leshchyk, commander of the 5th Transportation Co., said her unit is new to Yokohama, and they were looking for opportunities to engage with their host city and share a little bit of what they do. The exchange event provided the perfect opportunity, Leshchyk said.

“Opening doors and engaging with our host city will not only help the Soldiers here have a richer cultural experience; it will also strengthen the ties between our unit and the city, making it more a joint community,” she said.

The initial plan was for the Soldiers and little leaguers to play baseball on the same field where they practice. Inclement weather necessitated moving activities to North Dock’s indoor fitness center, where they played dodgeball and basketball together.

The Soldiers also treated their guests to pizza for lunch and later showed them aboard a Landing Craft Utility vessel, which are used to transport troops and equipment.

Masaharu Sano, a sixth grader and his baseball team’s captain, said he and his teammates had fun playing and eating with the Soldiers and getting to tour the LCU.

“This was my first time interacting with U.S. Soldiers, so I was a bit intimidated at first,” Sano said, “but after I started to play with them, I learned they were very kind and funny.

“The best part for me was seeing the inside of the vessel for the first time and realizing how big it was,” he added. “And of course, eating pizza with the Soldiers afterward.”

Sano and the team said they were enthusiastic about more opportunities in the future to interact with the Soldiers.

Leshchyk agreed, saying it was great to see the children and the Soldiers be enthusiastic, motivated, excited, and having fun playing together.

“I find it endearing to see how the language barrier and the cultural barriers go away when they’re together having fun,” the commander said.

Leshchyk called the event a success and said she hopes the children had a good time and learned something new about the U.S. Army, and that Soldiers are not so different from them and like to have fun too.

“We have a presence here in Japan,” Leshchyk said. “I think it’s important that we take part in the community and contribute something.”