Professional Figure Skater Ms. Shizuka Arakawa Lectures on Campus

(2011.11.14)

A professional figure skater Ms. Shizuka Arakawa who is a gold medalist at the XX Olympic Winter Games 2006 in Torino Italia delivered a lecture at the University of Tsukuba on November 14.
She conducted two classes in "The Heartbeat of Heroes ? Imagine the Sports Nation for the Future" which is part of the "IMAGINE THE FUTURE. - Mirai Koso Daigaku Lectures -".
(Person in charge of the class: Assistant Professor Yasuo Matsuda of the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences)

The lecture was held under the theme of "How to raise your awareness and maintain the motivation up until the day of a real stage in order to enjoy yourself to do your best performance on the stage." More than 300 people including our students and faculty members participated in the lecture.

She talked about various memories of skating.
She said that "skating in childhood" was just for fun; "skating in school days" was a little harder because she had to cope with both school work and skating; and "skating as an athlete" was a totally different. She took a look at her own feelings to challenge the world.

She closed the lecture by saying "The reason I won a gold medal at the Olympics was because I could overcome myself. I did my best to look at my own feelings more than anyone else. I would like you to deal with your feelings directly and learn about yourself. Any mistakes will prove to be something of value."

In the "IMAGINE THE FUTURE. - Mirai K?s? Daigaku Lectures -" many former professional athletes including Mr. Kentaro Minagawa (professional alpine skiing player) Ms. Kumi Nakata (professional volley ball couch) Mr. Tsugiharu Ogiwara (sports commentator) and Mr. Kenji Ogiwara (director of the Skiing Club of the Kitano Construction Corporation) have been invited as speakers so far.

In addition to them Mr. Tomoyoshi Morohashi (president and CEO of the XEBIO CO. Ltd) Mr. Shun Kakazu (coordinator at Japan branch of the San Francisco Giants - Major League Baseball (MLB)) and Mr. Kazuyuki Umino (Ventforet Yamanashi Sports Club Inc.) were also invited to deliver lectures on the value of sports and entrepreneur spirit.

Ms. Arakawa made a courtesy visit to President Nobuhiro Yamada before the lecture.
She gave a message to the university written that "Positive attitude toward your 'present' will shape the future".