Prologue
The common understanding that Meiwa Elementary School was originally intended to be a specialized sports-oriented school is in fact far from the truth. While it is true that Toho High School now receives a steady influx of Meiwa graduates, this trend can be confirmed to have started roughly a decade ago (which, considering the school's century-old history, is fairly recent) during what some refer to as 'the soccer boom years'. It is also true that succeeding that initial year in which a remarkable number of rising stars were admitted into the prestigious sports academy, Meiwa has yet to produce other sports talents whose reputations rival that of Hyuuga Kojiroh or Wakashimazu Ken.
The truth of the matter is, Meiwa was only meant to be a standard elementary school. It was established at request of the then-rapidly-growing community whose residents wanted a school close by for their children. The community was (and still is) mainly comprised of upper middle class doctors, lawyers, businessmen and others of reputable professions, as well as the occasional politician. To this day, this generously funded school caters to the needs of prosperous families and their children.
The Kamida's were typical of these families. The father was an accomplished company-owner who split most of his leisure time between fine-tuning his classy car and gardening. The mother was an elegant, tasteful woman who was an expert cook and irreproachable housekeeper. The elder son played on the school soccer team. The daughter was well-groomed and boasted top grades.
A few things have changed since the Kamida household was last known to be 'typical'. While my father is still more sensitive towards his prize tulips than his children, my mother still insists that anything not geared towards making a girl the perfect wife is not an appropriate pastime for me, and my brother is still an untalented moron who bullies his way into soccer teams (and everything else he wants), I'm proud to say that my cute clothes and great report cards are now only the cherry on top for someone whom I can confidently regard as a person of worth.
There are those who might dispute my use of the word 'worth', claiming that anyone with a brain like mine should be in medical school. Luckily for you, I've already heard this argument from my mother, my father, and around three quarters of my other relatives (the remaining quarter is so horrified by the fact that I'm actually considering a career in professional soccer, they haven't recovered enough from the shock to think about what I should be doing instead), and can practically recite a detailed explanation as to why I will only give up soccer and become a brain surgeon over my own dead body. Unluckily for you, I don't feel particularly obligated to explain anything to someone who will most likely not understand and insist that I sit through their counterarguments. I will only say two things:
Whatever you have to say, I've almost certainly heard it at least five times. Including the one about soccer being a 'vain enjoyment' and how my indulgence will cause God to damn me to eternal burning Hell.
If, at this point, you still think that lecturing me will change my mind, you clearly haven't met me, nor have you read any of the reports and interviews featuring me or my teammates, which are available through all mainstream newspapers, many popular magazines, and a good many television programs. Your opinion is under-informed and a waste of my time.
That being said, I can understand that depending on what you read and/or watched, I may come across as somewhat misguided to you. This might not be your fault or mine; there are indeed a lot of misguided people out there, and a misfortunate many of them are reporters. I can also understand that if your son just got benched in favor of a girl participating in the Co-ed Soccer Movement, you may kind of really hate me. However, I will take the liberty to assume that since you're reading this, you haven't quite written me off as the anti-Christ, and that you are willing, to some extent, to listen. That's all I'm asking you to do: listen. Listen before you think and think before you judge.
As you judge, please remember the last time you fought for something important, the last time you put everything on the line, the last time you said all or nothing. I hope you know that you were strong then. I hope you know that you were brave.