I’m more comfortable with my body. Costs have also been reduced.
The Kia Tigers have been holding their final spring training camp at Kin-cho Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, since April 1. It’s been four years since the Tigers returned to Japan after their 2019 spring training camp, which was held in Korea and then moved to Florida to coincide with the arrival of manager Matt Williams. Without an indoor training center, it was impossible to fulfill all the schedules with outdoor training, and the high cost of living compared to Korea was also considered a barrier to Japan. After the coronavirus pandemic, Kia held its finals camp in Korea for three years.
Four years later, the team returned to Japan. Kia was surprised to see how much the environment had changed. 캡틴토토 도메인
Kincho Stadium has been transformed into an outdoor stadium. An indoor field was completed next to the stadium. In previous camps, if the weather conditions were not favorable, the athletes had no choice but to train outdoors, using weights and autonomous training. It was not easy to train perfectly in a limited space. However, with the completion of the indoor stadium, pitchers and fielders can train regardless of weather conditions.
Kincho Stadium is the spring training site for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Pacific League. Not only Rakuten, but KIA also used the stadium for training, but the conditions were not 100% perfect. “We were surprised to see that the indoor stadium was completed,” said a KIA official, “and we no longer have to deal with the weather.
The Kincho Indoor Stadium, which was completed in January, covers an area of 21,711.61 square meters and is lined with artificial turf, making it possible to practice infield fungo and defense. There is a conference room for meetings, locker rooms, showers, and equipment storage. When not in use for training camps, it can also be used for futsal, gateball, and tennis for local residents.
As a new facility that was recently completed, you can’t help but worry about the high rent. However, due to the energizer bunny effect, KIA has been able to hold the finishing camp at a lower cost compared to domestic away training. Compared to pre-COVID-19, the facility fee is 20% lower.
With the optimal conditions to focus on training, the KIA players have been working hard for the past three weeks and are determined to rebound in the new season. Outfielder Lee Chang-jin (32), the most experienced player in the final camp, said, “The players are all motivated to do well in good conditions.” Kia coach Kim Jong-guk also said, “The players are showing motivation in good conditions. They are training hard without any reservations,” he said.